TKC SATURDAY QUESTION: HAVE MAYOR SLY'S PET PROJECTS STOLEN FOCUS AWAY FROM KANSAS CITY PUBLIC SAFETY?!?!



Kansas City's crime wave claimed two more lives yesterday and a shooting last night starts off this violent weekend.

We talked about the tragic fate of KC comic book legend Jim Cavanaugh and noted the local toddler gunned down yesterday.

Meanwhile, Kansas City Mayor Sly James expended most of his energy this week promoting pricey projects for the developer class.

Examples . . . 

City Hall touts the proposed Downtown Convention Hotel as the "missing piece" for Kansas City success but the efforts of Mayor James on this front have been myopic and mostly focused inside the loop while so many other areas of Kansas City are neglected.



While the Mayor touts the plan for his pal Mike Burke . . . He opposed more direct economic development initiatives along Prospect. Uniting the Crossroads with the 18th & Vine District in a sketchy and cheapskate plan is the closest the Mayor has come to any kind of real initiative to improve the 3rd District over the past few years.

This week . . .

TKC OFFICIALLY DUBS MAYOR SLY'S SINGLE-TERMINAL SCHEME: THE NO-BID NEW AIRPORT!!!



This horrific example of crony capitalism crashed and burned before takeoff and the Mayor will struggle to get the votes he needs to move forward.

And finally . . .

THE STREETCAR EXTENSION WON'T STOP THE DEADLY MIDTOWN KANSAS CITY CRIME SPREE!!!



And here's one of many ways all of this applies to police and public safety . . .

Witnesses called 911 and were left on hold for 17 minutes trying to get through to the dispatcher.

Worse than tech problems . . .

THE NUMBER OF POLICE ON KANSAS CITY STREETS IS AT A TEN YEAR LOW WHILST HOMICIDES SPIKE!!!

Over the past few months crime in Hyde Park has raged out of control, violent teen flash mobs have taken to Midtown Streets and the area around Clint's Comic Books can get exceptionally dangerous during high tide rush hour traffic times and into the night.

In conclusion . . .

None of the arguments about pet projects vs. public safety should be met with fatalism or frustration, instead this is an opportunity to reach out to the Mayor and urge him to refocus his attention to far more pressing problems confronting Kansas City residents given that lawyers, consultants, developers and corporations can take care of themselves while neighborhoods clearly need help confronting a local crime wave that is growing worse.

Comments

  1. The Mayor from Burns & McDonnell??

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  2. We all have to serve someone Dylan once said. The Mayor has to keep his patrons happy and they don't care about KC's crime problem. Most of them don't even live in Kansas City.

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  3. Be honest about it. Is there much the Mayor can do? Our police force is governed by Jefferson City. Until we get control back from the state, there's little that we can do to affect real change.

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    1. Hopefully with forte leaving, the ship can be righted. It will take a long time to repair all the damage though.

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  4. The streetcar has the potential to bring more revenue and resources along the route. You should know that TKC. Police are projecting the streetcar and therefore the route would bring extra protection to this part of Kansas City. We have to think about holistic solutions. It's not either/or but a question of how best to address these concerns. We do not want to live in a police state. Instead, let's bring more economic opportunity to our urban area and trust that people will make better decisions. Let's Go For KC!

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    1. The police are not proactively protecting the street car or anywhere it travels. There simply are not enough of us out here to do conduct routine patrol activities anywhere in the city. Hopefully this will change soon.

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  5. there's nothing better about the crony airport proposal than following normal procedures, if a new airport is to be.

    in fact, the financing approach actually adds costs compared with a normal one.

    the mayor may have been naive in thinking private financing was less risky and somehow better.

    no matter what, if anything goes wrong, it is still the taxpayers who will be bailing the airport out, for the simple reality that the city can't do without an airport.

    an example from a different domain is the taxoayer bailout of private banks in the financial crisis. even though taxoayers weren't obligated to bail out the big banks, itvwas the only practical thing to do.

    so, taxpayers are always at some risk.

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  6. It's great politically to keep people's eyes focused away from the crime crisis.

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  7. ^^^ Excellent point.

    It's a shell game and Sly is the king of that, have to give him the credit he deserves.

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  8. The last pic of the Plaza gave me a brilliant idea on how to solve some fiscal woes:
    Have the city sell the tennis courts on the Plaza and take that money and lower water bills and put more cops on the street.
    What's more important? Tennis for rich kids and spoiled brats or public safety?
    Should easily bring $10 million
    Problem solved.

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  9. That wait time is inexcusable. I bet if I dial 911 in Overland Park they actually answer promptly and send help. I have a friend that lived just north of the Nelson and one day him and his roommate caught a guy breaking into his car. They held the guy down and called 911. KCMO refused to show up. They had to let the guy go. Inexcusable.

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  10. KCPD only employs 10 cops per district, there are 6 districts for a total of 60 cops per shift. With three shifts that means only 180 cops work a day, They actually only average about 8 or 9 cops per district per shift due to time off for various reasons. They have around 1400 cops in total but yet only employ 180 a day. What are the rest of them doing?

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    1. I'm serving out the remainder of my sentence in the most comfortable assignment I could get. There is a strong disincentive to avoid being out there creating opportunities to have your life destroyed.

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    2. And to follow-up, I would take a pay cut if they let me do my job.

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  11. 9:49 The cops were busy........ getting free food from QT! LOL!

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    1. QT doesn't give cops free food, just drinks.

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  12. You would think that the police having the biggest budget of all city depts (almost half of the entire city budget) but yet can't even field enough officers to do their job. Maybe it's like everything Mayor bullhorn does, quit maintaining things, use the airport as an example, they PURPOSELY don't maintain it so we as the mayor said on tv "have to replace it" in the case of PD we have to raise taxes to pay them more so they'll do they're jobs.

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  13. Police and fire are already getting paid enough they're budgets combined are 3/4 of the entire general fund. No wonder the city can't maintain any public infrastructure. What exactly does KCPD spend all this money on?

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  14. Mayor bullhorn don't give a damn about anything but his bribe money he gets from the developers, and we thought Pendergast was bad, mayor bullhorn is blowing corruption up to brand new levels. Fat bastard doesn't even own property or pay taxes in this city

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  15. 8:46 "trust people will make better decisions" WTF, we have generations of shitheads that have perfected the art of bad decisions. That is classic dip shitary right there.

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  16. If it wasn't for the bajillion dollar streetcar boondoggle, every (shhhhhh! white shhhh!) person in the city could have their on personal police escort and also 2 scoops of ice cream!

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  17. Typical of how Communist Democratic Libtards run a City, straight into the ground, then act innocent and clueless, and as usual Blame everybody else but themselves !!
    Libtards are always innocent of everything, it must be someone elses fault,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,

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  18. So looking at the "phase two" of the toy train they want a total of $471.9 million to go 7.4 miles, this it to take toy train to prospect from main, river market to Benton on independence Ave and downtown to brookside. That's $62 million dollars a mile folks. Corruption at its finest. Leave the big boy decisions to sLIE and Troy and this is what you get. I agree Pendergast would be jealous!

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  19. The missing piece mr mayor is everything outside of downtown that gets nothing due to your incompetence

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  20. I never thought I would ever say this but.... I miss funkhauser!

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  21. Byron Funkhouser5/13/17, 12:17 PM

    He was a co-mayor. Do you miss Gloria, too?

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  22. I had a similar experience witnessing a person get hit by a car and waiting on hold 7-8 minutes before the 911 operator answered only to be told not to worry it was being taken care of before I even told them the location (isn't it possible there could have been more than one incident given the city's size). I'm not a fan of Sly James and his developer giveaways at the expense of the rest of us taxpayers but lets remember the Republican general assembly and governor are actually in charge of our police and not us even though we're the ones paying for it!

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  23. At least funky town was smarter about not giving away the farm and mayor sLIE has actually had more problems, his son caused a lot of headache and his kin folk having shoot outs on I think it was 43rd and prospect and don't get me started on slicks troubles on his old block on montgall. Honestly we're screwed either way

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  24. Sorry, but Mayor James is NOT going to listen to any alternative views. It's not what he does at all! He's ALL ABOUT working in secret to benefit wealthy developers and corporations who trade campaign contributions in exchange for his political favors like no-bid contracts, tax abatements/incentives, and free land for projects.

    Here's another shocking aspect of the just announced Burned and McManaged airport terminal swindle, they're trying to force the Council into presenting the MOU by May 18, and approving it by June 15. RUSH, RUSH, RUSH!!! The Council should be HIGHLY OFFENDED at this INSULTING gesture from Mayor James and his financial benefactor.

    Burned and McManaged proposes for KCMO to:
    1) enter into a legally binding agreement with a separate legal entity "Terminal Developer LLC" created by Burned and McManaged, which will use Burned and McManaged Engineering Inc. as their exclusive contractor. Why does this matter? Because in a worst case scenario Terminal Developer LLC will walk away from the project, declare bankruptcy, and leave KCMO with a demolished terminal and skeleton airport. Burned and McManaged Engineering continues on in business unaffected. The City ASSUMES THE RISK of losing their airport.
    2) cede control of the airport terminal and the land on which it sits for 30 to 35 years, OR LONGER (read the MOU term sheet) The Developer's lease with the City is for an undefined boundary of property and land.
    3) waive all municipal income from the airport during this time period, as it will be redirected to Developer.
    4) City will still be responsible for the costs of operation and maintenance.
    5) Developer will design and build the Project for an undefined cost.
    6) Project will be completed at an undefined time schedule.
    7) City agrees to pledge all Airport Revenue Sources and Federal Funding Sources to Developer, for payment of debt incurred by Project.
    8) "Cooperate with Developer in arranging the financing for the Project."
    9) City agrees to seek the MAXIMUM allowable Passenger Facility Charge (PFC) during the 30-35 years or LONGER term of the agreement.
    10) "That the acquisition of construction materials and all tangible personal property and equipment for the Project will be exempt from sale and use taxes to the extent permitted by state law, and the City will issue to Developer and, upon request, Contractor or subcontractors or vendors, a project exemption certificate evidencing such sales and use tax exemption" This tactic was also used to benefit Burns and McManaged during the construction of their HQ expansion.

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  25. 11) KCMO waives their right to control development around KCI. "Limitations upon the development of facilities by the City or the City's Aviation Department on or adjacent to the Airport that would adversely affect the operation of the Airport or that, in the reasonable judgment of Developer (and any lenders or equity investors in the Project), would reduce any sources of revenue that are part of the Funding Sources." Potentially, this means no new hotels, restaurants, shopping centers, or any business that might draw sales away from the Developer's Project.
    12) The City and Airlines pledge to provide Developer a MINIMUM of $85.2M per year to repay project financing.
    13) City agrees to potentially neglect their ownership and maintenance of the Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport.
    14) Developer gets veto power over all agreements begin the City and Airlines.
    15) Burns and McManaged Engineering will become the EXCLUSIVE Contractor for all Airport projects (not just the terminal) during the life of the agreement (30-35 years or longer).
    16) "the City provide, without cost to the Project, expedited review of all permit applications for the construction of the Project, and City agrees that no building permit or other similar fees shall be charged by the City in connection with the Project." Again, just like their HQ expansion sweetheart deal!
    17) "If Developer determines that, in order to make the Project financially feasible, it is necessary to form a community improvement district, transportation development district or other similar entity (the Special Taxing District") to impose an additional 1% sales tax on retail sales at the Airport, City agrees.." Now, what do you think the odds are that Burns and McManaged will determine they want an additional 1-percent sales tax? If you said 100 PERCENT, you're a realist!
    18) "City's City Manager shall be the City Representative for purposes of providing all consents and approvals provided for in the New MOU" Can you see what's happening here folks? Burns and McManaged have given assurances to Sly James and Troy Schulte that when they leave City employment there will be a very lucrative "consulting" job available for them at Burns and McManaged. The two of them just have to RAPE the Council, RAPE the public, and kill anyone who tries to obstruct this BACKROOM CRONY deal which hands a MONOPOLY WORTH HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS OF DOLLARS to Burns and McManaged.

    Please go back and review the details of Burns and McManaged HQ expansion deal. They successfully SCREWED over KCMO taxpayers so badly, that they're trying to repeat the performance, only on a much larger scale, with the unnecessary new terminal project.

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  26. Ready Mix paved Brush Creek on the Plaza. Did they dream up the project too?
    Is there an echo here?

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  27. Sly has never cared about public safety except for the time he was at the Plaza and gunshots were near him. He got his fat ass on the ground real quick then

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    1. You would think a developer was behind those bushes based on how fast Sky went down

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  28. 1005 the police staffing levels are worse than ever and the officers are answering 4 times the call for service since 1968. Fact.

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  29. 4:54 I agree they're answering more calls but why not put out more officers if they have more than 1400 officers

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  30. 8:46 AM "trust that people will make better decisions"


    LMAO

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  31. 9:39am wins hands down.
    Clay Chastain should start a petition to sell the Plaza tennis courts.

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  32. I would vote yes to sell the plaza tennis courts. A quick check shows the Parks and Rec own it. Boy that's some low hanging fruit... easy money.

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  33. Put up section 8 housing on the Plaza shit hole tennis court !

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  34. The tennis court generates money.

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  35. The state legislature gave you shit heals the authority to carry concealed and you still think the police can get there before your ass gets shot up? Welcome to Forest Gump land.

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