In the 50s advertisers promised consumers affordable flying cars that still haven't become a reality in much the same way that the topic of rail transit in Kansas City is opportunity for politicos to mislead the voting public without any remorse or shame.
The world's most accurate encyclopedia tells us: "In the computer industry, vaporware is a product, typically computer hardware or software, that is announced to the general public but is never actually manufactured nor officially cancelled."
Moreover . . .
IF ANYTHING EVEN REMOTELY RESEMBLING THESE ROCK ISLAND CORRIDOR PIX IS BUILT WE WILL GIVE UP THIS BLOG AND TRY TO START A SINGING CAREER INSTEAD!!!
Neither the newspaper nor the Biz Journal made a big deal of this recent presser because it's a bad joke with a horrific price-tag as the punchline . . .
Jackson County: Legislature Approves Bonds To Purchase Rock Island Corridor
17.7-Mile Line To Be Developed For Bike Trail & Potentially A Multi-Modal Transportation System
During their meeting Monday, Jackson County Legislators approved issuing up to $52 million in bonds for the county — in partnership with the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (ATA) — to purchase the corridor from Union Pacific Railroad. The county and ATA’s immediate plan calls for transforming the Rock Island Corridor into a bicycle trail, with the potential for further redeveloping it later for multi-modal transportation.
“The county has spent seven years working on getting to this point today,” County Executive Frank White, Jr. said following the Legislature’s meeting. “A lot of hard work by the county’s staff and my predecessor, Mike Sanders, made this possible. Ultimately, our partnership with the ATA was essential to securing the finances necessary to make this investment in our community’s future.”
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It gets worse . . .
AFTER YEARS OF WORK, THE ROCK ISLAND CORRIDOR REMAINS MOSTLY WEEDS AND EMPTY PROMISES ALONG WITH OTHER SORDID TOPICS!!!
We won't belabor this point because we've already got more than a few lawsuit threats over this one and TKC doesn't want to be found in a trunk somewhere just to entertain comment trolls . . . REMEMBER that no matter how TKC dies, even if there's a suicide note, it was MURDER.
Better still . . . TKC is TOTES open to bribes (only by way of snack cake payment) in much the same way we've noticed the new series of adverts in an "alt" weekly but didn't want make a big deal even though they're HYPOCRTICALLY throwing shade at rival publications over the subject of sponsorship as the Internets kills the old school journalism biz model.
Again . . . We're not gonna go overboard reporting this taxpayer rage about this deal because Legislator Crystal Williams has advised us everyone to "move forward" . . . Probably to her next failed bid for higher office.
Anyhoo . . . The big picture here is that OUR BLOG COMMUNITY CONTINUES TO RAISE QUESTIONS about The Rock Island Corridor To Nowhere along with the inability of current Exec Frank White to provide any leadership while he tarnishes his baseball legacy and ends his working life as some clueless politico who takes orders he really doesn't really understand.
Developing . . .
Frank White is Sly James without the law degree but with twice the charm.
ReplyDeletePeople still love him.
Hey, the Royals won the world series and some people thought that would never happen.
ReplyDeleteKansas City has a lot of momentum and the government has seen the great work we've done with the streetcar line.
Don't be so cynical. Connecting Independence and the 3rd District to Downtown Kansas City would be the missing piece to really push our growth over the top!
It's going to happen.
Thirty years later .
Delete^^^ Really hope you are joking. If not, please don't use Meth. It's a hell of a drug.
ReplyDeleteAnother Sherri, Deb, and Patty fail.
ReplyDeleteFrank White needs to re-open the video booths at Erotic City.
ReplyDeleteBest thing that he could do.
Ooooooo! "Multi-modal." That sounds so kewl! Can I have mine with kale?
ReplyDeleteConnecting the Third District to Independence.
ReplyDeleteLike tying a brick to a stone and watching them swim.
And the rest of the metro just rolls its eyes and laughs!
KALE! It's a fucking leaf and it makes me so angsty cause I don't eat it and people who are younger than me do! GAAARF!
ReplyDeleteThe old adage of "follow the money" should be applied in this situation. Then you'll find out the real story and I bet it has nothing to do with what's best for the taxpayers.
ReplyDeleteIndependence is already connected to downtown. We don't need a train involved.
ReplyDeleteTourists will flock to KC from all over the world to ride their bicycles to St. Louis and it will increase property values too!
ReplyDeleteSAVE OUR ABANDONED TRAIN TRACKS! Like us on Facebook and volunteer our time to help Sherry DeJanes illegally fence in sections of the old Rock Island corridor to prevent train tracks from being used for trains! Help elect Terrence Nash as your next county exec to stop this boondoggle from destroying our precious green space for illegal dumping and scrub brush growth!
ReplyDeleteI can't wait till everyone in the world comes here to see this and rent all the bicycles on the trail at the rental stations! Plus they can buy official t-shirts and caps, drink some craft beers, and marvel even camp at the Camp A Rama's that will popup where you can experience camping in a safe corporate setting!
ReplyDeleteDon't forget it will be be complete with YOUR Internetz connections where you can post your selfies, announce your using the new artisan outhouse at mile 12 with automatic butt wiper, and keep up with the Kardashians all at the same time!
ReplyDeleteOh shut the hell up! Sanders needs the job, for crying out loud! Damn, do you think he can get a client list together on his own? That Ken/Cindy McClain jokey job will last a few months longer then they will want that tiny bit of real estate that Sanders uses up in their office suites. A sweetheart contract for the water district will only float Sanders so far with his paid for friends.
ReplyDeleteAnd quit sticking that fat ass Crystal picture on the Internet's. Makes me sick.
BTW Frank White is flat out worthless in his new job. Really sucks. Wonder if the roofs he did are leaking today.
Sanders, a man most recently the subject of an FBI investigation, now has the power to seize private property and impose taxes in the form of fees, without democratic oversight.
ReplyDeleteOnce the bonds are issued and sold, the operations of the "Authority" is no longer subject to legislative oversight. Bonds are contracts between the authority and bondholder. The US Constitution forbids the states to interfere with contracts. That means no governmental body can interfere with the party known as the Authority. So Mike and Calvin can do what they please, and no public body can touch them. A county executive or county legislator or county counselor who tries to change the Authority's policies, procedures or personnel will find out that they are legally trying to interfere with a contract, the bonds.
Mike can choose routes and seize property in ways that enrich his father-in-law or his (sham) law partner. He can use that power to punish political enemies or business competitors. Mike can take unlimited legal fees or other draws from the Authority's revenue and Calvin can pay himself whatever he wants.
Now, Mike and Calvin will be able to operate with the power of a democratic institution without public oversight. Sanders is more powerful now than he ever was as a public official, and he is no longer impeded by having to go to the voters or answer to pesky legislators.
4/18/16, 7:51 AM
ReplyDeleteHi Jim Giles!
Missouri is a Failed State. Cronyism in the state and county legislative bodies made this power grab possible. We have no newspapers to apply supervision to these corrupt institutions.
ReplyDeleteExcellent commentary from the TKC Editor to start the week!
ReplyDeleteAs it so happens, I was on a section of this old rail line over the weekend.
TKC is correct (once again) that the odds of this ever being transformed into an active commuter rail line are slim to none. The costs would be overwhelming as the existing abandoned infrastructure is totally decrepit. I can see it being transformed into a walk/bike trail, but that would involve a lot of money and work, and negate the much-hyped possibility for future commuter rail. If the County puts a bike trail over the top of the rotted rail bed, there wouldn't be enough width remaining for any future rail line. Vice versa, if they say the main goal is commuter rail, then there wouldn't be enough room for a bike trail (again too narrow).
If you're unfamiliar with the old Rock Island line extending out into Eastern Jack, imagine this: It's probably been 30 years or more since this line saw rail traffic. Neighborhoods have sprouted up along the right-of-way, with backyards now bordering the property. The old rail bed is largely rotted and overgrown to the point where it's impossible to walk along unobstructed. I can think of several streets that have paved over the old line and carry substantial traffic. There are several sections where there's a steep drop-off on either side of the rails.
I'm sure they could go with a walk/bike trail plan, but the neighborhoods would fight commuter rail fiercely. TKC wins again!
What a scam they have only Calvin and no board. 450000 of taxpayer money already in the fund when will this corruption stop.The FBI looks really silly while the Sanders faction rapes the County.
ReplyDeletedon't flatter yourself Tony, nobody wants to kill you because nobody cares. A nigger might shoot you at random, sure, but they do that to everybody.
ReplyDeleteGee, ya think we can trust Calvin and Mike to do the right thing with the money?
ReplyDeleteStupid waste of money
ReplyDeleteAll of this goes back to that dick Steve Nixon.
ReplyDeleteDon't you mean dickhead.
DeleteIt is smart transportation policy that now is under the control of crooks.
ReplyDeleteinteresting article , and great writing by TKC --
ReplyDeletedude got game - - props!
Hey, that pic looks like the NYC High Line walking trail.
ReplyDeleteMaybe we just need a fancy logo and the VML boys to get to work on marketing it as such?
BREAKING NEWS: Murder a white, suburban woman in Jackson County and you'll only do 15 years!!! Yeah murder!
ReplyDeleteDoes the bimbo from Jeff City get any cash out of this deal?
ReplyDelete8:04: That would be "younger than I," as schools outside rural Kansas or some state very much like it would have taught you if you had been paying attention.
ReplyDeleteIt's all the same old shit. Corruption, rackets, and the dishonesty required to keep them going.
ReplyDeleteThis kind of dirty politics is the very reason why Frank White was not invited to participate in the TURN THE TOWER BLUE event at Tower Park. We do not need crooks like Frank White to attend our family events. Shame on him for covering up Sanders' misdeeds.
ReplyDeleteThe event is Weds. April 27 at 8 PM
LOL. You ass hats are a riot. Sanders is out banking a cool $500k and the trolls on this board can't handle it. Here's some advice: Actually do something more productive with your life than post anonymously on a BLOG, and maybe you can make some money too.
ReplyDelete3:31 PM
ReplyDeleteSkippy, you are a wiggy moron who is destined to do hard time.
pssst ... there's always been an existing Burlington train rail paralleling I-35 from Olathe down to Union station.. but .. no rail.. thks to KC greedy Democrat scammers
ReplyDelete