Audit Seyz Kansas City Plays Fast & Loose With East Side Sales Tax

Here's a question nobody asked themselves this week . . . 

How is the Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax program moving along???

We'll forgive you . . . This is boring and dry stuff even if the teachable moment is quite spicy . . .

NEWSFLASH!!! THIS WEEK'S KCMO AUDIT REVEALS SALES TAX CASH THROWN AROUND LIKE CONFETTI!!! AND NO, IT DIDN'T SAVE THE EAST SIDE!!!

For those who don't remember . . . 

"In April 2017, Kansas City, Missouri, voters approved a sales tax of 1/8 percent to fund economic development projects in the Central City.

"The Central City Area is located on the east side of Kansas City, MO. The area’s boundaries are defined on the north by 9th Street, the south by Gregory Boulevard, the east at Indiana Avenue, and the west by Paseo Boulevard.

"A Central City Economic Development (CCED) Sales Tax Board reviews, analyzes and considers project proposals requesting CCED sales tax revenues. It provides City Council with its recommendations regarding projects to fund."

Background . . .

For the past few years . . . When he wasn't using his notable girth to step on the neck of this blog, Dave Helling was placing nice with this group and doing a bit of "compliment sandwich" reporting wherein he would hint at lousy bookkeeping but then extend praise for a good effort because he didn't want urban leaders yelling at him.

Here at TKC we stopped caring what politicos said a long time ago . . . And we're just here to revel in the bad news . . . Accordingly . . .

RIGHT OUT IN THE OPEN THE LATEST KCMO AUDIT REVEALS THAT CCED CASH HAS A FUNNY WAY OF MOVING AROUND WITH VERY LITTLE REGULATION!!!

Here's the money line . . .

"City staff and contractors for two projects we reviewed did not follow process outlined in these contracts. We could not confirm the proper use of all CCED funds for either project."

Read more via www.TonysKansasCity.com link to . .  

A thread that starts nice but finishes with this scary slide . . .

Update . . . We blogged this early in the morning and Flatland also posted their own account that's worth a look but not as much fun . . .

KC Auditor Flags Issues with Economic Development Sales Tax

Still . . . 

No judgement . . . 

But people used to be threatened with jail time for this kind of thing before the pandemic. 

And so . . .

In public and to their face . . . We've told all of our East side friends that this thing was always just a federal investigation waiting to happen.

And the very least . . . Free money sounds nice except for the people who are left holding the empty bag.

Developing . . .