TKC EXCLUSIVE AND BREAKING NEWS!!! UPCOMING KANSAS CITY 18TH AND VINE $27 MILLION DOUBLE DOWN VOTE REVEALS DIVISIONS BETWIXT MAYOR AND COUNCIL!!!
The politics of this week starts with an EPIC decision that has caused a great deal animosity and hateration behind the scenes among the City Council and Mayor Sly.
To wit . . .
AS MUCH AS ANY OTHER DEBATE, THE 18TH & VINE SUBSIDY IS RIPPING APART ALLIANCES ON THE CITY COUNCIL AND THREATENS TO DEVOLVE INTO YET ANOTHER SIGN OF RACIALLY DIVISIVE POLITICS OVER THE EQUITABLE DISTRIBUTION OF TAXPAYER CASH!!!
The talking points from the 3rd District mention Downtown subsidy along with so many other entertainment districts that also lose money for City Hall.
Meanwhile, after $100 million worth of taxpayer cash over a generation . . . It's unlikely that any amount of money will make this district sustainable.
Sadly, Council Dude Jermaine Reed is turning this into a showdown with a call for a vote this week . . .
A policy reminder . . .
Councilman Reed has chosen to call this ordinance out of committee to keep the plan moving forward after months of city staff work and public discussion.
The City Charter instructs that Items called out of committee shall be docketed under the “Second Readings” agenda item on the agenda of the next regular Council legislative session. At the time such items are scheduled for a final reading, they shall be docketed under the “Final Readings – Debate” agenda item.
Accordingly . . .
FAIR OR NOT THERE'S A BEHIND THE SCENE BLOCK OF VOTES THAT COULD BRING THIS EFFORT TO A HALT BECAUSE WRITING A BLANK CHECK TO THE 18TH AND VINE DISTRICT WOULD BE A HORRIBLE IDEA!!!
Moreover, the power play puts Council Dude Jermaine Reed out on a limb and it seems as if he hasn't learned much over the years given that Congress dude Cleaver and even Mayor Sly have quietly stepped back from their initial public support.
Additionally, Council dude Lucas is attempting to offset this big ask with tough tax talk about TIF that's mostly theoretical.
Funny side note . . . The City Clerk's website was down over the weekend in the lead up to this Summer debate because there are even more questionable items on the docket . . . But we'll call it maintenance.
And so, while this would be an EPIC win for Council Dude Reed . . . If pushed back to the planning stages, it could leave the Council Dude as nothing more than a lame duck. Council Dude Reed has 72 hours to trade favors and find a way to make this work on the make or break issue of his career.
Meanwhile . . . In the midst of a national election season and as KC Insiders are already deciding who is going to be Mayor . . . Look for the council to be just a bit more skeptical of this project that has not even garnered support among neighbors.
Developing . . .
Good money after bad. The P&L District argument does not hold water because we need to find a way out of that subsidy too!
ReplyDeleteTell SLY NO more money until there is a plan with details on the table.
ReplyDeleteJust set the money on fire.
ReplyDeleteI can see why some of the neighbors don't want this, they are going to be pushed out of their homes while the grifters just take their cut and leave the place in disrepair even worse than when they found it. Such a shame for KCMo. We should have done better by this place.
ReplyDeleteBehind every public advocate for this project....is a friend or family member hidden into a subcontract.....waiting for another windfall payday.
ReplyDeleteIf the KCMO city council stopped their endlessly deciding of "how the tax money is distributed", and focused more on actual municipal government with some attention given to such things as safer neighborhoods, well-maintained streets, a competently-operated water and sewer system, and all the rest of the basics important to residents and businesses both, we'd all be a lot better off.
ReplyDeleteA great big trough with more snouts than you can count!
What a carnival.
I think they should tie in the area with the East Crossroads/18th street Corridor.
ReplyDeleteThis time around keep the Black Economic Union completely out of the picture.
The reason the area failed the 1st time ,they handed over management and funds to unqualified groups, who use the money for their own self interest.
The funded inexperienced restaurantuers
and start up businesses.
Drop the idea that its a African American Cultural district, recognizing the history and allow the area to develop as an extension of the Art districts. Increase security
I agree with 739. Focus intently on the basic services and the rest will fall into place.
ReplyDeleteYup just what the district needs more crazy people who don't give a shit about anything so Sly can cut the police budget even more next time.
ReplyDeleteJust shows that black people are COMPLETELY unfit to hold any sort of public office. They cater to the lowest of the lowest, ignorant, libtarded, welfare recipients.
ReplyDelete
ReplyDeleteExclude their personal and private interests and make it about EVERYBODY, but NEVER tell the blacks that the jazz district isn't about THEM.
This has been their personal 'free money funnel' for a long long time, and there's nothing good that can come out of unifying all the entertainment district downtown into one. This move will anger the black community and embarrass congressman wagegarnish and mayor slice.
REAL TALK: you can't pay for basic services with a shrinking population. Almost no one lives near 18th and Vine and the idea that anyone will be "pushed out" by gentrification is fucking laughable. If you want to pay for cops (whose budget has INCREASED, not "been cut"), fire and ambulance, roads, sidewalks sewers etc., you need businesses and residents. Otherwise a smaller and smaller tax base has to pay more and more to keep up the same level of services. It's simple math, kiddos.
ReplyDeleteThere used to be a neighborhood around 18th and Vine where people lived and worked. Now there isn't. The reason Westport, the Plaza, West 39th and Downtown are nice is because they have the highest population densities in the city. 18th and Vine maybe has 1/4 of its historic population density, it's totally surrounded by vacant land, dead zones, highway blight, and empty fields where there used to be homes.
10:07 gets it. The people who lived there were previously forced out, swindled, and a host of other political promises that didn't pan out. All they can do is build apartments there. Nobody with $250,000 to spend on a home will want to be the guinea pig for the same circle of politicos. Been there, done that. Look at Monarch Village. They have an incompetent moonlighting as a developer/builder and no accountability. Same story different day. 15 years Monarch Village was going to be the place to live but it's still mostly vacant. Wonder why?
Delete$100 million dollars never really accounted for by the City. Most went to pre-development and planning costs to shell companies layered into contracts to hide the political names of family and friends. Most do not live in Kansas City, Missouri. Free money.....no results. Good and reasonably priced basic services would be appreciated by the residents east of Troost.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to pay for cops (whose budget has INCREASED, not "been cut")
ReplyDeleteLMAO! (KCMO #9 most dangerous city in America)
Got to keep them subsidies flowing to them downtown developers who are helping to fight crime. From their Yachts in Biscayne Bay or Second home in Aspen Colorado.
The weasal words are flying thick and fast with this one, kiddies! Beware of lies, baseless speculation and innuendo!
ReplyDelete----------
It's unlikely that
COULD BRING THIS EFFORT TO A HALT
it could leave
while this could be
it seems as if
Look for
-----------
ABOUT ALL WE KNOW IS THAT SOMETHING MIGHT HAPPEN!!!
umm...or not
Breaking News!! YOU CAN'T BLAME HILLARY CLINTON FOR BEING A MORON!!
ReplyDeleteFBI will not make a criminal recommendation to Justice Dept.
FBI Director Comey reports:
Hillary violated U.S. law regarding handling of Top Secret and lower classification information.
She used multiple servers, personal communication devices, etc., that were unsecure, without typical U.S. government safeguards or even the security available through commercial accounts such as Gmail.
She and her lawyers failed to turn over all of the pertinent emails requested by investigators.
Hillary used unprotected, totally open communication devices while traveling in politically hostile foreign territories.
FBI assesses it is likely that her communications were breached by enemies of the United States.
In summary, Hillary and her staff acted with gross incompetence, laziness, and stupidity. She compromised Top Secret U.S. government communications. But, because there's no evidence that she intentionally sought to harm the United States with her outright stupidity, the FBI is not recommending Justice Department prosecutors proceed with a criminal indictment.
this would be
ReplyDeleteif pushed back
"unrelated speculative 'funny' side note"
mostly theoretical...just like this post.
Nit everything in this town is about race or gayness. Somethings are about plain old stupidity and pumping millions into 18th and Vine to keep it on life support is stupid.
ReplyDelete@10:09am
ReplyDeleteThere's no question that a successful community needs residents, jobs, and economic activity, but your "analysis" is lacking in both its superficiality and ignorance of the importance of setting appropriate priorities.
An over-emphasis on population density s also telling, in that low density communities with an appropriate level of taxation to support them can obviously be successful and sustainable, just not along the same parameters as current urban futurists might demand.
A city government is responsible for providing services to the entire jurisdiction and in a larger municipalities there are bound to be some neighborhoods that generate more economic activity and public revenue than others. But neighborhoods are not entirely stand-alone and it's the responsibility of electeds and staff to ensure that resources are provided appropriately throughout.
Additionally, it's highly unlikely that private investment and jobs will appear in parts of a city with high levels of crime and violence and in which the most routine infrastructure maintenance and improvements have been ignored. The list of failed public "investments" in such communities is almost too long to even try to list.
18th and Vine has been poorly conceived and managed almost from the start and the infighting and nepotism has made matters even worse.
And, like so many pipe dreams of KCMO, a venue in a small market like this metro of only 2.4 million is not likely to survive on only uninformed tourists making their way to spend their money. An absolute minority of the metro's residents would even consider visiting the Jazz Museum or other venues, and certainly not more than once.
Local government has a critical role to play in the health and well-being of a community. Making believe that a mayor and city council can be developer wannabes is not part of that responsibility.
Didn't get his way so he's going to cry like a bitch and play the race card. Nice. So much for spending tax dollars in BASIC FUCKING SERVICES.
ReplyDeleteNi99a need MO MONEY,MO MONEY, MO MONEY!!!!!
ReplyDeleteProblem with these so called community leaders is that this project does not benefit the residents of the East side in any way, they use "the race card" and try to say "east of Troost Development needed". Basic efficient reasonably priced water would be a benefit to all residents of the East side, and the entire City. These so called project advocates are not advocating for community or city resident benefit, but only for the on-going greed of a few people who have made a handsome living hiding in the shadows of sub-contracts on City funded development projects. This has nothing to do with race....just unmitigated greed and gall.
ReplyDeleteThis 18th & Vine deal is one of the most destructive that Kansas City has ever seen. If we waste 27 million here then KC needs to give up any accountability on it's finances. There is simply nothing left of integrity in our city if this deal passes.
ReplyDeleteMind you, I'm not against it. I would like to see 18th & vine succeed but there is no plan here, there are no details or planning for accountability. Until we get that then there should be no money for them.
Who was Mayor during that time?
ReplyDeleteJazz is not dead it just smells funny.
ReplyDeleteFrank Zappa