TKC BREAKING NEWS!!! KANSAS CITY ACTIVISTS LAUNCH PETITION & PROTESTS AGAINST CITY HALL TAXPAYER SUBSIDY FOR CORDISH THREE LIGHT!!!
A litany of community complaints confronts a controversial downtown Kansas City development despite efforts to appease critics of luxury living space subsidy from taxpayers.
Council Lady Canady joined the fight against the downtown cash grab this week . . . And now . . .
KANSAS CITY ACTIVISTS HAVE LAUNCHED A PETITION AND PROTEST EFFORT AGAINST THREE LIGHT TAXPAYER SUBSIDY!!!
Take a look at the long list of arguments that span more than a decade and have seen 12th & Oak continually argue for a "Downtown Renaissance" that will benefit all of the metro . . . Which still hasn't happened.
Read more . . .
Change.org: Vote No on Subsidies for Luxury
As a community-based organization, the Coalition for Kansas City Economic Development Reform has a committed interest in where and how economic revitalization happens in our city.
We insist that:
- Economic development projects be planned by a process that is transparent, particularly when it comes to negotiations done by the City Manager.
- Tax incentives be applied as intended, so that low-income communities – particularly communities of color - receive the benefits of these incentives and are not further segregated.
- Economic development incentives are carried out in collaboration with our schools, libraries and mental health service providers, rather than diverting their resources without their consent.
We have many concerns regarding the Three Light project(s)…
Weak rationale for tax abatement. In December of 2016, SB Friedman did a preliminary financial review of the project and concluded that, “the requested PIEA assistance does not appear to be needed in order to achieve market-level rates of return.” The Developer then adjusted the numbers, in ways that are inconsistent with market realities, in order that the rationale squeak by. The project scored only one point above “low impact” on the city’s own lenient scoring status.
Conditions have changed since 2004. The city’s finances, the increased gap between rich and poor, and the continued neglect of the East side are important facts that belie the necessity of another major taxpayer subsidy for luxury housing inside the downtown loop.
Tax abatement has saturated the luxury market. An independent analysis stated that competition from other buildings from the same developer was part of the basis for their request. The response to this condition should not be further tax abatement but instead is a strong indicator that market forces should now be allowed to operate.
Economic development incentives should be targeted toward areas of need. Our city cannot continue to cater to the rich. Building luxury apartments and hotels downtown must be balanced with providing jobs and affordable housing in all areas of our city – particularly those areas in greatest need. Our citizens deserve no less.
Economic development should not be a zero-sum game. Diversion and abatement of revenue from public services schools, public libraries, mental health services in our community colleges is not sustainable. The Three Light project represents an affront to the taxpayers of Kansas City who support and have voted for these public services.
Three Opportunities to Protest Three-Light:
1. City Council Legislative Session
414 E. 12th Street, 26th Floor Council Chamber
Date: Thursday, March 22, 2018
Time: 3:00 PM
Members: Sylvester James, Jr., Scott Wagner, Heather Hall, Teresa Loar, Dan Fowler, Quinton Lucas, Jermaine Reed, Katheryn Shields, Jolie Justus,Lee Barnes Jr., Alissia Canady, Scott Taylor, Kevin McManus
No Public Testimony
Bring a Sign!
2. The 353 Advisory Board at the Economic Development Corporation offices - 1100 Walnut St #1700, Kansas City, MO 64106
Date: Wednesday, March 28, 2018
Time: 8:30am
The administration of the Chapter 353 Program is exercised by the advisory board who are citizens of Kansas City, Missouri and appointed by the mayor:
Vacant, chairman
Daniel Edwards, member
Gabriel Okafor, member
Steven Hamilton, member
James M. White, member
Public Testimony Allowed
Signs Allowed
3. Send Email to City Council (DO THIS REGARDLESS)
Use our Change.org petition
Send your own or Call
#########
Developing . . .
Cordish working on providing affordable housing at some of their other locations is a good compromise. hoping these activists aren't undoing a good idea for the sake of a perfect solution.
ReplyDeleteBringing more people inside the loop with help from a major investor should be the bigger goal.
^^^ that sounds nice but the money out of the general fund is the last straw for a lot of people. Don't blame Cordish, it's actually the mayor and the council who should have been watching the city's purse strings but they haven't ever met a tax break they don't like.
DeleteI'm not holding out hope for their success here. KC Mayor and council have given away more cash to developers than we've seen for a long time. They have even surpassed the work of Kay Barnes which is no small feat.
DeleteVery nice, see you guys at the Three Light groundbreaking.
ReplyDeleteSee you at election time when they vote out anybody who approves this!
DeleteCordish working on providing affordable housing
ReplyDeleteLMAO
Had no idea the city had this much money to give away, how bout spending it on the rest of the city?
ReplyDeleteWhat part of luxury apartments don’t they understand? This is designed to keep poor people out, that’s the whole idea morons. Poor people bring problems and spoil sLIE’s downtown, gawd you people are stupid!
ReplyDeleteThe city will be handing out Tide pods at the voting places.
ReplyDeleteLolz!
DeleteAny Council Member who votes for this won't have a chance in the Mayor's race.
ReplyDeleteMore crony corruption in a City that can't afford safe neighborhoods!!
Fire Troy Schulte!
A petition might gain a little traction assuming the system isn't rigged and the fix already in place. Protesting is a waste of time and only pisses people off. Most folks can't wrap their brain around the idea that there are people who have nothing to do but stand around in traffic and hold signs.
ReplyDelete7:56: You know Jolie and Scott will vote for it. Neither has ever met an incentive request they didn't like.
ReplyDeleteThis horse left the barn a longtime ago when the contracts with Cordish were "negotiated" and included subsidies and deals for them as far as the eye can see.
ReplyDeleteWhy would Cordish have any interest in considering re-negotiating anything?
They don't.
And they won't.
Time to focus on trying to prevent Sly and the gang from creating any new endless commitments by the taxpayers instead of pounding heads against the wall hoping to change the past.
Competent business people and public officials around the rest of the metro just watch this amateurish buffoonery and smack their foreheads and laugh.
Over and over again.
Well, the jokes on us for not getting enough people to vote this shit down, sLIE has bought and paid for his black people to vote yes for everything he wants, until people start taking this shit seriously we will continue to suffer for his give away policies, he doesn’t care people, he only rents a loft downtown, he doesn’t pay any taxes on anything other than his pay check and I’ll bet you money he won’t stay in killa shitty after his time as “mayor” is up. Neither will fat boy Troy, he’ll take a job in another city so he can afford the taxes but yet they think us commoners can afford it, no wonder there’s so many po folks in this city
ReplyDeleteWhen a developer is forced to provide below market rate units, the price of the remaining units rises to above market rate in order to make up the difference. Why should the buyers of the remaining unites have to subsidize their neighbors' apartments? If the city wants to give favored buyers a price break, the city should use its own money.
ReplyDeleteWho gives a damn. I work hard for my money, and I can afford to live there. I am not going to apologize for yearsnofnhard work, smart life choices and good decisions. I choose to live downtown because I can. People who work hard and make good life divisions shouldn’t be forced to now live with those that can’t keep their shit together.
ReplyDeleteJust because you WANT to live somewhere doesn’t necessarily mean you get to. Hell, I would love beach front property in San Diego, but I can’t. Big deal. Lora McDonald is a stupid bitch who doesn’t understand 3rd grade math, let alone economics.
Actually, I tested out of college-level calculus. Shall I send you a transcript?
DeleteVote NO. April 3
ReplyDelete^^^^ But, who are you???
ReplyDeleteI’m with 8:43 and I can’t afford to live down there, nobody’s fault but my own and you don’t see me asking for hand outs or demanding anything, why should poor people get “luxury living” when they didn’t do anything to earn it. go effing earn it you lazy whiny bastards
ReplyDelete"When a developer is forced to provide below market rate units, the price of the remaining units rises to above market rate in order to make up the difference. Why should the buyers of the remaining unites have to subsidize their neighbors' apartments? If the city wants to give favored buyers a price break, the city should use its own money."
ReplyDeleteYou idiot. The city is ALREADY giving favored buyers a tax break. And just WHOSE money do you think the city is using when its using its "own" money.
"Who gives a damn. I work hard for my money, and I can afford to live there. I am not going to apologize for yearsnofnhard work, smart life choices and good decisions. I choose to live downtown because I can. People who work hard and make good life divisions shouldn’t be forced to now live with those that can’t keep their shit together."
ReplyDeleteIf you're actually living downtown, you're living in subsidized housing. The rest of the city is subsidizing your housing, so don't get so hoity toity about the city demanding the poor get some tax breaks, too, you whiny entitled millennial
^^^^ very cool!
ReplyDeleteThe irony of downtown residents complaining about subsidized housing is not lost on anyone here Literally everything you touch is subsidized by everyone else in KCMO. You thought your job bartending at Ale House covered all this? Pffft
ReplyDelete^^^^^I'm afraid you overestimate the intelligence of the whiny entitled millennials. If they're nothing else, they're irony-challenged.
ReplyDeleteMore subsidized housing for faggots.
ReplyDelete^^^^^No. It's equal opportunity subsidies.
ReplyDeleteWho is Lora McDonald?
ReplyDeleteHow did the petition do Lora? You got your ass kicked, another lost cause.
ReplyDeleteFound your post on Cordish / KC Live 3 Light development.
ReplyDeleteI went onto the City Council website and looked up the Master Developer Agreement.
They have the 3rd Amendment becoming an approved ordinance and signed agreement in Dec 2004,
but there is no copy of the original Master Development Agreement of 27 apr 2004 - which would be the majority of terms.
Do you have a copy you post?
Thanks.
If it’s a signed and executed document it’s a public document. Call your council person or the city clerk or city mgr and have them get you a copy, remind their lazy asses they work for you. Give them a deadline of one business day to get the doc.
Delete