Kansas City politicos often lament the surface parking lots that once dominated Downtown and now point to so many shiny new buildings and a few tourist traps as signs of progress.
Sadly . . .
PRICEY PARKING GARAGES NOW DOMINATE DOWNTOWN AND COST TAXPAYERS MILLIONS!!!
At least the old lots were paying cash into KCMO coffers. Nowadays, local biz demands City Hall pay for their parking.
The report:
Fox4: Audit shows a dozen KC parking garages’ debt cost taxpayers millions each year
Deets:
The Kansas City, Missouri, Auditor's Office conducted an audit on public money used for parking structures to determine if the way money is spent matches up with the city's transportation policies.
It didn't, according to the audit. You can read the full report here.
"City agreements to own or support parking garages have significant lasting budgetary impacts through debt service payments and commitments to parking garage maintenance that constrain the city's budget, reducing the city's ability to address other priorities and needs," according to the audit.
The audit contains a list of all the publicly assisted parking structures in greater downtown built from 2000-2018. There are almost 50 of them. A dozen of them have city-backed debt.
"Based on the contract, we have to make those payments for some of those where the garage debt service was $140 million," said Doug Jones, Kansas City Auditor. "If the revenues don't come in as anticipated, the general fund would make up for those differences."
Developing . . .
We didn't see it coming.
ReplyDeleteWhat good are these facilities if the city is doing everything in the book to discourage people from driving to Downtown?
ReplyDeletePark in one of those garages, and die, sadly.
ReplyDeleteRiding that train, high on Slycaine
ReplyDeleteright
ReplyDeletebut
this is going to be city's best garage yet
The parking costs are ridiculous. Residents Downtown pay 85 a month. Visitors must pay a lot to patronize downtown.
ReplyDeleteAnd the same politicos who push these sweet deals through are the ones who man the barricades with bullhorns shouting about income inequality and raising the minimum wage.
ReplyDeleteCalling them hypocrites would be too kind.
Frosty!
Oh, but the momentum! Momentous!
ReplyDeleteOh come let us robust you
ReplyDeleteOh come let us diverse you
Oh come let us inclusive youuuuuuuuu
Vibrant........ Our Lord
^^^^ Sad but true.
ReplyDeleteYou can thank the EDC for this. More lost dollars for the city .
ReplyDelete