You don't say?
About 5 years too late, most of the media in KC realize that turning this town into a giant luxury condo/shopping mall/major league sports arena isn't the best way to maintain the basic services that keep everything around here running.
Accordingly, the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce found that Kansas City's commitment to maintaining its infrastructure has been faltering (No shit?!) and the situation could get (is getting) worse.
Here are the highlights of what the Chamber "discovered":
•Funding to maintain existing streets, sidewalks, parks facilities and municipal buildings has dropped from nearly $40 million five years ago to $28 million last year, according to the chamber’s analysis of city budgets and reports.Basically, if all of these pipe dreams don't work out then KC is screwed. They're billing this information as "a wake up call" but it's WAY PAST TIME that local politicos and media people got the point. For the most part, people on the street who run over potholes everyday and see one water main after the next burst every time it gets cold know the score. What I find funny is that most of the Star's editorial staff and so many other local big wigs have been cheering for this process every step of the way because while it may take away desperately needed funds from the city . . . The speculation and overextended risky gambles that this city has taken have paid out to many so-called supporters who have wisely chosen to put their own financial interests above that of Kansas City.
•The city boosted overall capital spending in recent years, thanks to voter-approved bonds, but now the city is using its infrastructure maintenance fund to help pay off those bonds. That means annual maintenance spending could dip even lower, the chamber found.
•In addition, the city has taken on large amounts of debt to expand Bartle and to build the arena and entertainment district. If those don't produce enough revenue to pay off that debt, the city may be forced to take even more away from infrastructure funding, the chamber report concluded.
posted by Tony Permalink
Lets talk about Bartle Hall, Tony. The expansion project has experienced some serious, very costly mistakes. For instance, they have a minority contractor (who the city always uses) doing the HVAC system who has no idea what he's doing; concerning HVAC that is.
Example: He bids higher than hell and receives the job... EVERYTIME. In this particular case he bid the job for like 10 guys. He sent around 4, 1 whiteboy doing most of the work. When they quickly fell behind (had every other trade waiting on them, sitting by the way) the City came in saying ...SHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. *holding hand over the minority contractors mouth*
The city paid another contractor to come in (out of cities pocket and not deducting money from contract of minority firm). They paid this other contracting firm (non-minority by the way) BIG money to catch this other firm up so the sheetrockers, and every other trade could get back to work, instead of sitting for a third month straight while these other guys wandered aimlesssly towards the end.
Let me break it down, we have:
(1)Bartle Hall Expansion way behind schedule.
(2)Minority HVAC contractor allowed to not fulfill contractual duty to city. Not only allowed, but is given incentive to not fulfill.
(3)City paying a "ghost" company to stand beside this company in catching up so the other trades could begin working again after 2-3 months of sitting on the sidelines.
(4)Never having made this public.
I am pissed and you should be too. Not as pissed as my "whiteboy" friend who allowed them to shine as long as they did by being the only one working though. They said he had a big mouth. I wish I could tell you more but he refuses to talk anymore about it until he sues the fuck out of the city for allowing this to transpire. Not only allowing it, but encouraging it.
The sad part: Funkhouser has yet to say anything about it and this firm will probably have future contracts and may currently be pulling the same SHIT at the Sprint Center. I told you fuckers it would get bad before the Elections. That aint shit either.
Funkhouser (as former auditor or whatever!) you have knowledge of this. Surely. If you continue to fail to point these things out you will be placed on my political suicide blog, where Chuck Eddy is getting very lonely. You could have athreesome later tonight with Weaver and Eddy.
*winks at Tony*
The thing that irritates me is that the first highlight talks of maintaining sidewalks which it turns out is the responsibility of the abutting property owner. Now I don't know why citizen's would vote to maintain sidewalks but they did. Which means that because no one in the Northeast has ever fixed a single sidewalk (be them property owners or the city) I am responsible for the upkeep of shit that's been broken for 40+ years and have the potential of being sued for some kid tripping and breaking his face. If the Chamber discovered that funds were intended for the upkeep of the cities sidewalks, commercial and residental, and the city is not using that money or tricking us into believing that they are supposed to, then I have a huge problem with that. If I am responsible for the sidewalks surrounding my property, then I am going to just fence them in so no one can use them.
Sounds like a subtle endorsement for Funkhouser, who did speak out today (or at least press-release-intended to) on the city's over-TIF-fing, against a Second Distirct hotel project near Briarcliff, brought to you by another mayoral candidate, John Fairfield.
The one with a doctorate and not a law degree has been saying that the city's credit is over-extended for years. He has strong knowledge of how City Hall really works, based on decades of facts and an a-political separation from the voting public. He even let another candidate for mayor, Stan Glazer, interview him for a Pitch story. The current mayor chided him for that, as well as continues to presume all will expand infinitely, and that no unforeseen disasters interfere and cut down the economic flow.
Funkhouser is brave to want to be a part of that potential mess. With so many candidates, the race is virtually anyone's game.
I don't see how the city can expect to both pay off debt and give tax breaks.
As for sidewalks, I see more streets being repaved. Most of the city, including Northeast, does have new storm-sewers - new sidewalk corners, essentially. The streetlights everywhere are relatively new, also. Drive around and count how many of the traffic signals are new, too. (I am not sure they were necessary; someone should be studying the number of accidents post- and pre-new lights. Otherwise, it's a sweet deal for some business contractor for nothing.)
The fountain in Concourse Park, the historic Richardson-Graham bridge (Gladstone over Lexington), the Lexington Bridge, Cliff Drive's structural repairs, the cleaning and new roof of the Kansas City Museum - these are all 1% tax projects, otherwise known as from PIAC funds. There may be a project in that list that was actually funded by GO Bond funds, but they are all reviewed and approved by an appointed group of citizens. Of course, they are connected, but they are not that inaccessible.
There are "streetscapes," too, along Independence Boulevard and St. John by Budd Park, as far as recent improvements go. It certainly is a matter of opinion whether that sort of thing is necessary; but what about Independence Plaza Park, Grove Pool or the Harmony Park spray ground? There's a spray ground at Garrison Community Center, too. All these things are capital improvements that have happened in the Northeast part of the city, often at the goading of the people who live and work there. Community activists have been funneling public attention and funds for about a decade. A few organizations have been around for 20 or so years.
I remember what it used to look like seven years ago. I have seen pictures of its condition 10 to 20 to almost 40 years ago. We all have seen the state of affairs a century back.
I am not sure the city's majority is going to vote to extend that tax, though.
Tracy--
Translate from binary code to simple english please.
---------------------------------
The bottom line is:
We spend more money each year without realizing "actual" benefits from our investments as a city. In other words, money going out in the form of all these progams cited above. Any other organizations choosing to operate this way would be broke, investigated, and possible fraud charges filed.
Because we HAVE created the very same government that we claimed Independence from (excessive taxation without representation) WITH an even larger and predatory media, we hear nothing about this. Tracy...you sit in on the meetings. I agree, it is better, good, etc although we all know good can sometimes be the enemy of the best.
Unfortunately, because we have dweebs spouting nothing less than inexactitudes dressed up as news we are losing an uphill battle.
It's no secret who will become Mayor out of this whole bunch. It will be the one who can withstand the agressive Federal Investigations launched against these people (nearly every local official and their bookkeepers) who have fostered this sort of political atmosphere in the first place(e.g. he with the most money wins). I did promise this would happen. I'm out.
I'd rather have a felony on my record than a degree from UMKC. For real.
If I am responsible for the sidewalks surrounding my property, then I am going to just fence them in so no one can use them.
hey frog, you can't fence them off. If you do a title search you will probably find an easement for the sidewalk.
I have some friends that had the sidewalks redone on their block. The city split the bill with the property owners. (50/50, 70/30 are something).
Hip Critic lets talk about what an enormous tool you are and why you have to comment on TKC because nobody reads your pathetic excuse for a blog. You're pissed. We get it. Stop bitching and threatening and provide some answers. If you are so fucking smart why don't you do something instead of crying like a little bitch? Why don't you run for office? Oh that's right, you could never be elected because people know what a giant douche you are.
Crawl back in your hole, or better yet just shoot yourself and do us all a favor.
I'll fuck you and your mama boy.
sorry Tony,
Had to do it.
Hip Douche, people don't comment on your blog because you're a douche. You control your comments? Then it's not a real blog. It's the ramblings of a giant tool. 500 Benton? Probably a rental. You're too big of a loser to own your own home. Why should I come to Northeast and be doused in the vinegar and water that is your giant douchedness?
You suck douche boy.
john galt--
I did not post those comments and have asked Tony to remove anonymous comments. You are really sad. I've noticed you've spent a great deal of time slandering me although have no real basis for such. Drink the Kool-Aid.
Update: PD came to 500 Block within minutes looking for this "Jim" guy. The tragedy in all this is they had 6-8 officers and a van to transport someone who didn't even make the comments. After not finding "Jim" they retrieved an african american male and tossed him into van yelling "I didn't do anything!". Surely, PD knows they made a huge mistake and wanted to not look like they were searching for an anonymous poster when they should be looking for murderers.
It's sad to see crack deals all day long up here, prostitutes, and a variety of other illegal behavior; meanwhile PD looks for an offensive poster on a blogsite. I still am amazed by this.
Hip Douche,
I can't believe you still don't get it. TKC's comment sections are not for your paranoid blatherings.
What's the matter? Mommy wash the pee pee a little too vigorously at bath time when you were 14? Creepy Uncle Lou corner you in the pool cabana and tell you "it will be our little secret?"
It's not your fault Douchey. But until you learn to stop monopolizing TKC's Comments I'll just have to keep pointing out what a giant bottle of vinegar and water you are. With the comfort tip of course!
John Galt--
Unlike myself, the more you say the stupider you sound. In my case, I write more for clarification purposes. What is your point really? Seriously? I see you're really a pussy though, hence the Police. Unfortunately, I'm back. When are you going to actually address the storyline here? You sound like a pissed off paralegal or something. You sound like a broken record. Douche douche douche douche douche. You must have a point in all this besides me being a douche. Tell us something we don't already know.
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