TKC BREAKING AND EXCLUSIVE NEWS!!! PETITIONERS AGAINST CROSSROADS BNIM TIF VOW TO CONTINUE FIGHT AGAINST CORPORATE TAX BREAK SUBSIDY!!!
The citizen initiative petition process outlined in Kansas City's charter killed a tax break deal in the Crossroads that directed money away from schools and neighborhoods according to critics.
Now . . .
CHECK THE LATEST WORD FROM KANSAS CITY TAX PETITIONERS PROMISING TO KEEP PUSHING FOR PUBLIC COMMENT AND FINDING A NEW TARGET FOR INCENTIVE DEBATE!!!
The reality is that low voter turnout might have swept Mayor Sly into office against an opponent with virtually no support but it has also served to make his administration exceptionally vulnerable to voter challenges.
Here's the word . . .
Petition committee statement regarding the City Council's repeal of Ordinance 150849 on Thursday, February 25, 2016.
“From the beginning, the committee of petitioners never opposed the project at 1640 Baltimore, only the use of tax incentives to help finance private development in a thriving area at the expense of public schools, libraries and county.
By challenging the use of TIF for this project, long overdue attention has been drawn to the need for the city to reform its tax incentive and abatement policies and practices. We remain hopeful we will see efforts at real reform soon.
Until such reform occurs, we will continue to utilize opportunities for the electorate to be heard, such as offering public comment on development projects like The Grand Reserve during the City Council’s Planning, Zoning and Economic Development Committee meeting.”
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The $150 Mil Grand Reserve project has already earned TIF commission approval but these local advocates have proven exceptionally astute at pointing out the disparities that exist in City Hall's subsidy process.
Developing . . .
Too much corporate welfare in Kansas City. If we can't stop it, at least the public can have a say on where all of this money is going.
ReplyDeleteTIF mis-use is one of the many reasons that voters need say NO to the earnings tax.
ReplyDeleteIt's certainly one way, a solid start to challenge all the gross malfeasance and abuse of tax payer money Sly, Troy, Circo, on and on and on have become accustomed to.
ReplyDeleteIs it just me or is anyone else thinking that life today isn't about working and acquiring the things you like. No, it's all about standing with your hand out waiting for some government entity to fill it with cash while you do nothing and take no personal risks.
ReplyDeleteWish that they would join the fight against the crooks east of troost.
ReplyDeleteStop the earnings tax ..put the brakes on TIFS
ReplyDeleteThe E Tax has to go and everyone must insist on fiscal responsibility. This is a great time to clean up KC government and the cronies who have milked tax payers for years. If people continue to be typical Missouri apathetic numb nuts it can only get worse.
ReplyDeleteE tax and TIFS are two public scams. There's no difference between economic development and stealing.
ReplyDeleteLocal Democrats support TIFs even though they lead to increased income inequality. Republicans support TIFs even as they supposedly support the free market. Money trumps principle every time with the whores in charge.
ReplyDeleteI guess the petitioners should be congratulated on killing a project that they say is a good one -- and COSTING the KCMO School District a LOT of money?
ReplyDeleteThis fight was never about money for the schools. If the project went through, the District would have gotten hundreds of thousands of EXTRA dollars as payments in lieu of taxes, far more than it is getting now. Without the project, the District gets NOTHING in increased payments. KC gets to have an empty building -- or, maybe another parking lot.
This has always been about Political POWER -- control of the School Board and its patronage and intimidating developers and the Mayor into bargaining to avoid "government by petition" when the petition level is so low.
The only form of altruism that Sly James displays is undeserved welfare for big business and lining his pockets with kickbacks, despite the harm that the public suffers.
ReplyDeleteYeah, Phil! FUCK THE VOTERS! Worthless scum. How dare they think they have a right to influence the actions of the government that purportedly exists to serve them.
ReplyDeleteNot everyone is loaded with payola like you and Jabba to make those Rockhurst and American U tuition payments.
Until the right people in city hall are bribed, nothing will change. BNIM will make another go at it and if for some reason they don't get what they want, they will relocate to JoCo like everyone else.
ReplyDeleteThis incentive border war is killing the metro financially. KS is even worse off financially than MO is (although MO isn't far behind). Although it wouldn't shock me if they did, KS probably needs to halt their corporate welfare program until they get their shit together.
ReplyDeleteAnd its far past time for these local companies to start paying for themselves instead of waiting around with their hands out for tax dollars. Tax payers have done WAY more than they should to help build the city for millionaire/billionaires. Time for them to walk on their own for once. It shouldn't be our responsibility to make sure Shirley Helzberg is protected from financial risk.