In Kansas City there's a persistent myth that so many events packed with middle-class d-bags somehow benefit this town.
Nothing could be further from reality.
In fact, Kansas City subsidizing the privilege of the middle-class is part of what's sending this town's finances down the tubes.
A quick for instance: Kansas City's net shortfall for the P&L District is expected to be $12.9 million in the fiscal year starting May 1.
Do the math . . . We've had the Big 12 in town before along with so many other over-hyped Sprint Center celebrations . . . AND NONE OF IT HAS HELPED PAY DOWN THE HORRIFIC AMOUNT THE PLACE IS COSTING KANSAS CITY!!!
Let's extrapolate this real world example of the so-called "economic impact" of a big time sporting event in Kansas City.
Right now the Big 12 has Downtown crawling with people and corporate merchants are doing their best to gouge every penny from these d-bags . . . Still, that's not helping this town's taxpayer subsidized party district.
WHY SHOULD THE ALL-STAR GAME BE ANY DIFFERENT?!?! KANSAS CITY'S PAYING BIG MONEY FOR THE MLB EXTRAVAGANZA AND WE MIGHT EVEN BE CUTTING POLICE BENEFITS AND FIREFIGHTER JOBS IN THE PROCESS OF PREPARING FOR THE HOT MESS!!!
Let's think even further down the line . . .
We could use the same math for the proposed Downtown Hotel. Developers promise it will be "the missing piece" but it really just a misguided subsidy plan that has already failed in STL and so many other cities.
The money wasted for a Downtown Toy Train isn't even that hard to calculate given that it's going to be nothing more than cash thrown away for an ego trip.
On an even smaller scale . . . The EMPTY AND LAME KC STRIP TROLLEY has shown us that there's not a profit model for Kansas City tourist traps.
Accordingly, this vapid tourist ideology is at play in an upcoming money grab that's being perpetrated by a few City Council members on behalf of The Convention And Visitors Association. They want more cash for lamentable advertising and corporate promotional junkets and they're willing to loot cash set aside for neighborhoods in order to get their funding.
And yet Kansas City still believes the dangerous myth that luring people back to Downtown is going to create some kind of magical "Renaissance" when financial reality proves time and again that this simply isn't the case.
It's really a case of a mistaken philosophy that so many Kansas City voters find difficult to resist. Civic pride is so often misused to manipulate the voting public into making stupid decisions. Sadly, the cost of so much Kansas City cheerleading keeps rising with little evidence of any benefit.
The financial world sees this trend and that's why Kansas City bonds have taken a hit despite so many earnest promises about infrastructure that neglect to mention a RECORD SETTING TAX INCREASE that's proven to kill business in this cowtown.
The downside of all of this is that Kansas City neighborhoods continue to be neglected as politicos chase tourist dollars instead of looking out for residents.
DEVELOPING . . .
Lighten up Seymour.
ReplyDeleteLike the toy train. But the rest of it? Blech!
ReplyDeleteInstead of these tax and spend amenity schemes, Kansas City should cut out the touristy/sportster crap and put its efforts into to maintaining its public infrastructure, keeping neighborhoods livable, excellence in education (from pre-k through post-grad), growing SMALL business, and nurturing the creative and cultural climate.
ReplyDeleteAnd the litmus test for spending should be if there is not a direct benefit to the citizens of Kansas City (i.e. whatever is funded will be used by Kansas Citians), then taxpayers do not fund it. Period.
KC voters seldom see a new tax they can resist. One politico after another building legacy projects to launch their congressional hopes and KC dolts keep buying it. The one mayor we had who didn't squander money on those projects and actually put money into infrastructure, was run out on a...... Wait for it...... RAIL!
ReplyDeleteYouu must be the LAST resident in KCMO to finally figure out that the city government that you "elect" doesn't know what you need or care.
ReplyDeleteSo keep paying yhour taxes, shoveling snow on your street, and dodging bullets on the east side and shut up.
A city that works,
Just not for you.
Maybe you can eat prestige after all?
ReplyDeleteTony you are going down hill faxt without Funkhouser to make you look good.
ReplyDeleteTHis is why Kansas City is swirling in the toilet bowl.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.facebook.com/jeremy.lafaver?sk=friends&v=friends#!/photo.php?fbid=1248843374719&set=a.1248838654601.38147.1038496446&type=3&theater
Kansas City has been headed down the toilet long before the Funkster showed up.
ReplyDeleteBut the citizens of Kansas City must love living in the crapper because they time in and time out vote for all the steps that make it happen and keep it happening.
I think it's time for me to bail on KC and reinvest else where.
The downside of all of this is that Kansas City neighborhoods continue to be neglected as politicos chase tourist dollars instead of looking out for residents.
ReplyDeleteTourists spend money! Residents in neglected neighborhoods sit on their a$$ waiting for the government check to come. If they own't help themselves, f*ck em.
niggers got to learn to stop living like niggers. Pick up trash in there yards, cut the grass, paint the homes and get rid of trash cars.
ReplyDeleteHey T:
ReplyDeleteYour boys at the P&L are at it again. This time they hitting Philly with their racism. Let's see if Philly men are better than kc men in taking on this shit.
http://rittenhoused.com/2012/03/09/xfinity-live-philadelphia-opens-march-30-has-an-interesting-dress-code
Why would they do that when they get free money from the state. I'm sure they can get some city employees to cut their grass and paint their house for free as well while they watch their free 60 inch. Led t.v. And text on their free cell phones.
ReplyDeleteAnd drive their Escalades.
ReplyDeletedoes the city ever expekt to service the power district debt downtown? does it get better or worse?
ReplyDeleteHey 11:48, you're right tourists DO spend money.
ReplyDeleteThe rub is that it costs us MORE in public incentives to get and keep the tourists here compared with what they spend. Those are tax dollars paid by the citizens. $16M just this year and just for P&L. That's about $40 for every man, woman and child living in Kansas City- for just ONE project.
I would argue, and independent analyses support, the proposition that cities that focus on providing basic services to their residents are much better off financially and in terms of the quality of life than tourist Meccas.
so crazy!sex lady!lol im sienna from abercrombie uk.love NBA.
ReplyDelete