Remember that this blog community was the FIRST IN KANSAS CITY to report the awkward schemes used route most of the MoDOT transportation tax money to the toy train streetcar.
Now . . .
CHECK OUT MoDOT AND KANSAS CITY WORKING ON A TAX SCHEME COMPROMISE THAT MIGHT BE WORTH $100 MILLION FOR THE TOY TRAIN STREETCAR!!!
Quick look at the effort to confuse local voters in the next (low turnout) election . . .
MoDOT proposes deal to avoid sharp sales tax increase for KC streetcar district
Deets . . .
"The Missouri Department of Transportation has proposed allocating more than $100 million from its transportation tax to Kansas City’s streetcar project — if voters approve Amendment 7.
"That could significantly affect how much Kansas City taxpayers in the streetcar district would ultimately pay.
"If the taxing district passes on Aug. 5, it sets up another election in November in which those same voters would decide a maximum tax for the streetcar. Missouri’s proposal would help reduce the local streetcar sales tax from 1 cent to one-fourth cent for the next 10 years.
In other words, the combined state and local sales tax increase within the streetcar district would be limited to 1 cent."
Beyond that . . .
Both Missouri and Kansas City are DESPERATE FOR TAX CASH and this roundabout ask reminds us that this town is reaching a dangerous threshold wherein taxpayers have grown weary of constant asks from local politicos.
Developing . . .
We're building this city for the young imports. So we're letting the streets and roads fall apart for the next 75 year since they won't need them.
ReplyDeleteVote NO.
ReplyDeleteOf course, after a few years, the "young imports" will have gotten tired of riding a streetcar up and down a 2 mile stretch of Main Street, been mugged and having their stuff stolen, drinking artisinal cocktails and soy latte's, and will have discovered that not everyone is going to be an entrepreneur or artist, and that TED talks don't pay any bills.
ReplyDeleteThen they'll be getting married, having kids, and moving to the good schools, safe neighborhoods, and jobs in the suburbs.
And the bonds for the poorly constructed and unmaintained streetcar will run for another couple decades at the rate of $10-15 million every year.
The kiddie corps' attention span is no greater than their sense of context of public spending or their ability to contribute to it.
And just like the sucking chest wound that is the P&L District should be named for Barnes, the streetcar fiasco should have James' name all over it.
And the rest of the metro just watches and laughs.
Taxpayer Disaster District
ReplyDelete8:42: Don't forget the cost of taking up the rails once we're rid of the "creative class." There are still tracks in the sidewalk at 75th & Wornall from the previous streetcars.
ReplyDeleteSeems like a reasonable and solid plan. Keeps tax increases reasonable and assures our tax money stays in KC and benefits the city as well as the suburbs and rural interests. Plus, it finally squeezes some public transportation funding from a historically hostile state government, which has worked to screw KC and StL for decades, despite the fact that they are the economic engines of the state.
ReplyDeleteExcellent development, smart plan for a much needed and important investment in KC's infrastructure needs.
You must be on the shitycouncil
DeleteWhat happens after 10 years? On Jan. 1 of the 11th year will people wake up to find their sales tax rate is now jumped to the full 1 3/4 increase? They'll be screaming that this is not what they voted on. Since both the streetcar tax and MODOT tax are for 20 years, actually they did vote on this. It just wasn't on the ballot.
ReplyDeleteHad one of them Burns and Mac electioneering door knockers show up trying to recruit people to push the toy train last week.
ReplyDeleteDoes anyone know of a temporary sales tax that ever went away?
ReplyDeleteCK has $450 million of GO debt and $1.1 billion of appropriation backed debt.
ReplyDeleteSo I guess beer sales and toy train fares will get us out of the hole.
It will be good to resolve the matter one way or another and end the relentless sniveling.
ReplyDeleteRight.
Will we sell enough artisan barbecue and kale leaf beer to service Cordish debt?
ReplyDeleteDave J and Matt S are in charge of promoting glorified douchebaggery 9:35.
ReplyDeleteLooks like my vote will be no. Can you think how every year KCMO has a new tax,and how high it will be in 10 years.Then the 1% tax will kick in for the next 15 years
ReplyDeleteThere are apparently four guys who will lord over this proposed TDD. S'Lie James is the top dog, someone from the port authority, and two (unknown) others.
ReplyDeleteThat there alone should be enough incentive to send this thing down in flames on August 5.
This is just a streetcar version of Enron.
ReplyDeleteCity Hall needs a crooked CK symbol mounted out front at the entrance.
It's the people in the special assessment zones that will get screwed the most.
ReplyDeleteHows the folly trolley doing today?
ReplyDeleteVote NO
ReplyDeleteThe streetcar named disaster. Producer Slyvester James, promoter Russ Johnson, key grip, Cindy Circo.
ReplyDeleteFunded by ...you
ReplyDeleteIsn't it something how citizens have absolutely no use to the KC government except to be providers of cash? ...and LC's numb nuts will turn right around and reelect these clowns
ReplyDeleteYep, KC leadership views citizens as "easy marks" to bankroll their career-enhancing projects.
ReplyDeleteIt's just not sexy to them to merely be stewards of that taxpayer money in providing adequate city services...they dream of ribbon-cuttings and the podium speeches.
That's why you see the anger when prudent, well-reasoned questions are raised ... you were envisioned to just lay down and take it.
What an utter waste of tax money. I don't think THIS is what voters had in mind for the transportation tax.
ReplyDeleteI think we expected more bang for the buck and not jst a windfall for architects and contractors on this limited line.
Just another ploy for downtown land owners to get more than their share of our taxes... nother reason why to move to Johnson County and take businesses with you.
Kansas City Mo has enough corruption that the sheer weight of it will cause a giant sinkhole east of state line.
Renters and apartment people will be moving soon after with the water and sewer taxes going up every year.
ReplyDeleteMoving to Overland Park they can at least get snow removal and better schools for less money.
Echo echo echo echo
ReplyDeleteChamber amber amber amber
Tony's Johnson County.
BREAKING: suburban white men with low information and internet connections think they should decide what happens in the city!
Have fun paying David Johnson's property taxes CKers!
ReplyDeleteso basically you're admitting your big scoop was way off the mark.
ReplyDeletelol
Suburban folks don't give a shit, Mensa boy. They won't be paying for your toy train.
ReplyDeleteNeither will you Dan, but you seem really concerned with deciding for the people who actually would. Why don't you go back to Topeka and live amongst like-"minded" responsible government folks who support things like the biggest tax increase in state history so working people in KC pay for roads and bridges in the ozarks, and corporate interests like you buddies Rex, Pat and Crosby the XIV can get income tax breaks.
ReplyDeleteYour own Brookside neighbors (recently, I might add) don't agree with you, why the fuck would we here in midtown?
Patronize someone else, you fucking louse.
And Mensa boy checks in at 4:37 demonstrating once again natural selection does not always work.
ReplyDeleteSuburban Northland Nebraskan tells Brooksider to go "back" to Topeka.
ReplyDeleteThat's rich.
It's not about ridership. It's about eCONomic development.
ReplyDeleteI don't have a dog in the streetcar fight, seems like an okay idea, maybe not the best way to fund it. But I grew up in and live in Brookside (I'm 47), and that dude is not a Brooksider. He just lives there, now. We all know it, too. And his political beliefs are NOTHING like that of most people in the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteSnail rail attached to overhead wire.
ReplyDeleteBrilliant
P Bear Hunter is Byron Funkhouser
ReplyDelete7:37 is the same age as a certain Northland Nebraska refugee who claims TKC is the place where the uneducated unelected go to waste their time and yet has posted on TKC posing as, among other things, someone who lives in midtown and a black male from the east side.
ReplyDeleteJes' sayin'
Wow! There's a rock solid bit of evidence right there! Two people the same age? In the same metropolitan area of over 2 million people?Sheeeeeyit. I'll believe that when I see it!
DeleteThere he goes again--pretending to be a black male. The stage missed out on a great actor when Mensa boy decided to go into politics.
ReplyDelete