Fun fact to start the morning . . .
THE KANSAS CITY SPENDING SPREE CONTINUES!!! MAYOR SLY AND CITY COUNCIL ARE SO ASSURED THAT VOTERS ARE MOSTLY DISENGAGED THAT THE SILLY TAXPAYER SUBSIDIZED KANSAS CITY DOWNTOWN HOTEL IS BACK ON THE TABLE!!!
Expect more talk of this one later in Spring or maybe as late as Summer . . . But soon. The location has changed but the silly plan to put Kansas City in the hotel business is still the cornerstone of the proposal.
Fact is there's NOBODY on the Council who qualifies as anything close to a fiscal conservative and Mayor Sly's spending spree is now reaching a MANIC pace.
Don't believe it?
Think TKC is just being a Debbie Downer?
Actually . . .
A FITCH DOWNGRADE OF KANSAS CITY BONDS CITED MAYOR SLY'S SPENDING SPREE AS PART OF THEIR CONCERN OVER THIS TOWN'S FINANCIAL OUTLOOK!!!
Here's the exact quote:
"The Negative Rating Outlook reflects Fitch's view that if implemented the city's sizable proposed capital improvement plan (CIP) would further elevate the city's already high debt burden and claim a greater percentage of available resources."
THAT'S A DIRECT REFERENCE TO MAYOR SLY'S PLAN TO KEEP BORROWING AGAINST KANSAS CITY AND KILLING THIS TOWN'S CREDIT!!!
Sadly, I never thought this town was stupid enough to let a politician loot this town's coffers just because he had a nice smile. Once again and continually Kansas City always disappoints.
Consultants, politicos and the engineering firm that basically runs City Hall is smiling as well . . . Meanwhile this town continues to fall into disrepair, violence and apathy as our political leadership is more concerned with shiny new toys, expensive project and blank checks in the name of nearly insignificant infrastructure repairs than anything happening in local neighborhoods.
Don't worry, we'll start cracking on the stupid Downtown Toy Train in just a few moments.
Still . . .
Most people in Kansas City couldn't afford to stay in the upcoming luxury Convention Hotel that they'll be paying for but that's not stopping more than a few elites and some of the more enterprising folks in the Mayor's office from entertaining the idea.
DEVELOPING . . .
It'll be fun!
ReplyDeleteand it's been 4 years since city employees have had a raise--except for fire fighters and cops. not right.
ReplyDeleteThe hotel was never off the table. Just waiting for other things to happen to distract the public and now up to the surface it pops.
ReplyDeleteWhy focus and work hard on boring city services like public safety when you can mingle with the developers, be constantly told how important you are, and maybe build a legacy with other people's money.
And the handful of voters who come out for elections will just keep being taken to the cleaners by the same dishonest campaigns over and over again.
Fool me once, shame on you; fool me 4,603 times, shame on me!
The hotel is bull shit. Let the owners borrow money like other business owners. If there is really a consumer demand, they will have no trouble finding financing.
ReplyDeleteI support the infrastructure projects including the street car.
Kansas City has spent billions trying to chase the convention business, big leagues sports, world-class this and world-class that. All the while they were under the cloud of failing infrastructure, environmental consent decrees, and the never-ending parade of half-baked pet projects of limited benefit. And look where that has gotten us.
ReplyDeleteResidents fleeing the urban core in droves. Businesses requiring incentives to locate here. An eroding tax base, a soaring debt load, and a City Hall that listens to and acts on behalf of a select few while providing city services that just plain suck.
And the folks that pay the bills are continually being asked for more. Don't know about anyone else but I'm tapped out until I see some real and tangible progress and performance.
Thanks for your comments Kay. They're right on the mark.
ReplyDelete7:20 is dead on.
ReplyDeleteI am even coming around to Tony's opinion of Professional sports and the concomitant costs of same.
I think Tony was right and I was wrong.
The cost is onerous and the ROI is negligible.
Tony's take on City Hall seems to be dead on the money more often that not.
What can I tell ya?
Tony is throwing the Mayor's plan in with every crack pot idea being floated in this city. Yesterday, it was the Privatized Water System. Today, it is the private-profit hotel paid for with public funds. What's next Tony? The Mayor's plan will create a monarchy based on the off-string of Gloria breeding with Kyle(the jailhouse bitch).
ReplyDelete8:04
ReplyDeleteThat is funny stuff, but are you saying that the plans and projects Tony covers are all rhetorical brainstorming by the powers that be in City Hall?
"off-string?"
ReplyDeleteCity government seems to think this is still the 'roaring 80s.'
ReplyDeleteDon't count on federal help to try to make KC another 'world class city'. It ain't. Ya blew that when you let the airport service atrophy.
When it's over, other than the far north and far southland, be prepared for this city to just be an urban ghetto. It's an aging city whose infrastructure needs to be fixed underground.
Instead they want to add trains no one will use, hotels, no one will fill...which is like putting lipstick on an aging pig.
Time should be spent focusing on repairing city services. Piss on downtown investors.
There are those who want a big, new hotel downtown. There are those who don't. It's a waste of time talking about it cause it isn't going to happen.
ReplyDeleteBetter to build downtown than to continue to invest in the eastside. That is a money pit that just keeps sucking and no honest wage earning citizen can even drive east of Troost.
ReplyDeleteWe should definitely be putting our resources into those areas that have proven they know what to do with them and that will have a lasting benefit from them.
ReplyDeletePutting them into areas of necrosis (e.g. GIZ, Citadel, Jazz District) or negative returns (e.g. retail TIFs, P&L, Sports Complex) is just begging for on-going structural imbalances in the budget without any concommitant improvement in the business environment or the quality of life for residents.
Unless, of course, you happen to be one of the political insiders, grifters or connected beneficiaries who feeds at the trough.
The city of Kansas City, MO is the region's "big whore" with plenty of people using and abusing her for their own pleasure, taking her for granted, even calling her a good-for-nothing slut while pimping her out for the money she brings in, due to her size.
ReplyDeleteJust look at where this area's business leaders choose to live (Mission Hills, Leawood, Loch Lloyd, etc.).
The east side isn't really a moneypit, it's where many Kansas Citians live and many of the services have been in place, it's time replace and repair them.
ReplyDeleteI'll bet Red Bridge roads get resurfaced more than roads north of 63rd.
No one, including the city, is going to invest in the east side if the money always has to pass through the same old sticky hands and very little of it ends up where it was meant to go.
ReplyDeleteWhen the residents and young folks get rid of the tired old grifters, entitlement crowd, and extortionists who are currently recognized as the leaders of the black community in KCMO, and only they can do it, then something good might happen. And not before. Everyone is tired of being intimidated and shaken down and of watching one institution after another destroyed as these folks fight among themselves to see who gets the most for themselves and their friends.
GAME OVER!
If the politicos think a downtown hotel will help the convention business they are crazy. The CVA, run poorly by that pompous, insufferable boob/asshole Rick Hughes, cannot deliver. A new hotel won't help that. Clean house and get rid of Hughes.
ReplyDeleteOnly suckers live in K.C.
ReplyDeleteOh Yeah! KC has the atmosphere that makes people want to just run to a convention ...in some other location.
ReplyDelete