TKC EXCLUSIVE!!! KANSAS CITY CORPORATE WELFARE CONDEMNED AS SYMPTOM OF SYSTEMIC RACISM!!!



This morning a bold statement from urban tax fighters calls out the developer friendly status quo at 12th & Oak.

Checkit:

THE COALITION FOR KANSAS CITY ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT REFORM ATTACKS CORPORATE FREEBIES IN THIS SCATHING PRESS RELEASE!!!

Here's the argument . . .

"The Kansas City Council needs to recognize and do all it can to ameliorate the current racist-tinged,tax-incentive system that puts the interests of prosperous corporations and wealthy developers over the needs of their many Black and impoverished constituents.

"Systemic racism is shockingly and depressingly evident in the disparity between predominantly white school districts north of the Missouri River and the city’s primarily black school districts south of the river. Equally unjust is the continued diversion of vital tax revenue away from schools, libraries and mental health organizations to wealthy white developers and thriving businesses in non-distressed parts of the city."

The statement calls out an outspoken Northland Council Lady in particular . . .



"An example of the contrast between the haves and the have-nots took place at the June 17 meeting of the Council’s Neighborhood and Community Development Committee. During consideration of BlueScope Construction’s demand for an extension of its 20-year tax abatement privilege, Councilwoman Teresa Loar, a Northland resident, made it clear she could not care less about schools south of the river when she stated that BlueScope’s proposal should be approved irrespective of its impact on schools and libraries south of the river, as well as on the mental health fund.

"BlueScope is an enormously successful, Australia-based corporation with a market capitalization of $4 billion. Abating and diverting its property taxes from KCSD to BlueScope shareholders is unconscionable corporate welfare and, quite frankly, racist."

It gets better . . .

THE URBAN REFORM GROUP CONDEMNS A DOWNTOWN LUXURY HOTEL PROJECT SEEKING TAXPAYER FUNDS!!!

Here's the money line . . .



"And then, there’s the planned Performing Arts Center Hotel, formerly known as Bravo Hotel. This 5-star debacle just won’t seem to go away! The developers want the Council to approve an outlandish $45 million in TIF and Super TIF revenue – benefits that once again would come at the expense of schools, libraries and mental health organizations with largely black clienteles.

"The City Council needs to recognize Bravo’s request for subsidies for what it is – balderdash. 

Almost inconceivably, Councilwoman Loar also supports the Bravo subsidy. Thankfully, she is only one vote, and it takes seven to pass."

There's a lot of things to like about this statement. First and foremost, we're encouraged to see locals drilling down and talking about specific policy efforts and money issues that impact ALL of KCMO. Beyond culture war rhetoric, the reality is that the fight against systemic racism has the potential to benefit so many working-class neighborhoods throughout the city which also desperately need better management of city hall resources and a departure from the old school practice of unlimited corporate freebies.

Developing . . .

Comments

  1. look at the revenue projections for next year. everybody needs to get cut off if we want to pay for the basics.

    KC is going broke and if we don't turn it around quickly, this city is going the way of Detroit in the next few years.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 5 star hotel? In Kansas City?

      That might be setting the bar a bit too high. Not sure if flap jacks and an omelet will impress people outside of Olathe.

      Delete
    2. The KC gravy train is reaching the end of the line. It was fun while it lasted but now all of the projects coming before council are going to have to show a REAL value beyond pretty drawings.

      Delete
  2. Democrats run another city into the ground and drive off in Cadillac's. Can the voters see a pattern here ?

    ReplyDelete
  3. NO new taxes!

    That's where every creed, color and persuasion should be able to agree.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Now they need to stop the City's payment to the stadiums because the poor people of Kansas City have to pay a regressive sales tax to pay for the stadium for millionaires and billionaires.

    ReplyDelete
  5. ^and yet they voted for it so it will never be repealed. Weird.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Now we are getting to real issues. The renaming of J.C. Nichols fountain and Parkway are just diversion.

    ReplyDelete
  7. I agree with idea of stopping the corporate welfare, but calling it racist is idiotic
    A lot needs to be done to improve the school district, but the very first thing has to be publicly admitting that this city has been run by one party for generations
    That is why most people have fled the city for decades and you’re left with just the party faithful that keep voting for incompetence and corruption
    The truth is, is that it won’t ever change, so why should it be a shock when north of the river doesn’t care about the south of the river

    ReplyDelete
  8. The real goal of developers is to push poor blacks completely out of Kansas City. Maybe keep a few black grifters around to show how compassionate they are.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Byron Funkhouser6/24/20, 7:44 AM

    ^^No, they're not.

    When he was alive, Nichols essentially waged racial warfare against blacks.

    To name anything after him is in insult.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Byron Funkhouser6/24/20, 7:45 AM

    Meant for 7:36

    ReplyDelete
  11. Let's start a petition to rename this blog J.C. Nichols' Kansas City, Byron.

    ReplyDelete
  12. For FUCK sake people! This has nothing to do with race. This is, point blank, a discussion about this city's decades long infatuation with giving millions of tax dollars to billionaires. That is it. It's poor fiscal policy pure and simple.

    This city cannot get out of it's own way. THEN wonder why there's no money for basic services. It's akin to people bitching about not having money because they are being taxed to death yet vote yes for every single tax hike that hits the ballot every year. It's sheer madness, stupidity and insanity.

    Does this practice hurt certain people more than others? Sure. It really fucks over the middle and lower classes more than anything. But the bottom line is the fact that this city has some disturbingly poor financial practices that one day will fuck this city into the ground.

    Case in point, the city wants to cut 10 million from the police budget (in a city with one of the highest murder rates per capita in the nation and is on pace to set another city record in murders this year) yet wants to throw another 7 million (after already spending 100 million) at 18th and Vine....weird.

    #KorruptCity

    ReplyDelete
  13. Biggest corporate handout is $250 million to billionaire Clark Hunt and his millionaire NFL Players.

    Hunt can pay activist Patrick Mahomes $200 million but cannot maintain the very stadium that has made the Hunt family $ billions over the years. Please.

    ReplyDelete
  14. If you start with the understanding that in the current environment of what passes for "public discussion" EVERYTHING is racist, then you'll never be surprised.
    When a TV self-appointed celebrity "journalist" can actually ask a member of Congress if Pelosi should resign and be replaced by "a woman of color" you almost expect the screen to go to black and white and Rod Serling to appear.
    Sanity, reality, and common sense have left the building.
    And adult supervision either locally or nationally is no where to be seen.
    The "progressives" are doing pretty much everything they can for the Democrats to lose in November.
    These folks might want to review how the French and Russian revolutions turned out.

    ReplyDelete
  15. ^^And yet the dems are way ahead in the polls, and the revolution happened while you were on here, disconnected from reality. Weird.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. And Hillary was ahead in the polls. Weird.

      Delete
  16. Clark Hunt, Patrick Mahomes and the NFL should refund the $250 million of Jackson County taxpayer funds they receive.

    The much needed funds could be used to bridge the equality gap they keep talking about; such as filling potholes throughout the city.



    ReplyDelete
  17. my experience is that the raphael on the plaza is a five-star hotel now.

    ReplyDelete


  18. UMMMM Why don't they condemn the 18th & Vine project?? How much have they dumped into that sewer?

    ReplyDelete
  19. The democrats ran KC when JC Nichols was a developers nothing was done without the approval of Boss Tom.

    ReplyDelete
  20. Detroit City !

    Brought to you by Mayor San Quentin Lucas and BLM !

    ReplyDelete
  21. ^^Poor work. Show more effort. Do better! Solid F.

    ReplyDelete
  22. HELLO! SOMEBODY IN THAT MOVEMENT IS WAKING UP AND GETTING REAL.

    If you want to make a real difference, you start looking at where the money goes. The wealthy non-resident developers don't care about the protestors, because they don't live in KCMO, and they're willing to tolerate some social noise.

    When the protestors start blocking the entrances to City Hall, showing up at Mayor Lucas' residence, occupying the offices of the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Council, Port KC, Burns and McDonnell, JEDunn Construction, etc., then you know REAL change is in the works.

    The players that have been milking the system for years must be made to feel uncomfortable/embarrassed if change is to occur.

    ReplyDelete
  23. How do you help a mental health organization with money?

    ReplyDelete
  24. The sky is racist !

    The clouds are racist !

    Trees are racist !

    Rabbits are racist !

    Cows are racist !

    Sloths are racist !

    Everything fucking thing is racist and out to get the black man to keep him down !

    I'm a victim ! I'm a victim !

    ReplyDelete
  25. ^^no, your a CHUD. Know the difference.

    ReplyDelete
  26. @8:15am
    It's June, not November.
    The campaign hasn't even really started yet.
    And polling this far out has nothing to do with the actual outcomes.
    Just ask President Hillary Clinton!

    ReplyDelete
  27. 7:44 - "Nichols essentially waged racial warfare against blacks." Now describe what he did that can reasonably be characterized as "essentially racial warfare."

    Or don't bother to respond. You never have met a challenge and likely never will.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Byron won’t respond. He doesn’t live in KC, doesn’t know our history, lived his life committing welfare fraud, and tries to throw incendiary comments out to stir the pot. Except they’re not incendiary for all of the reasons above and for the the fact he’s one of the most idiotic liberals on this blog.

      Delete
  28. I think we are conflating racial and socioeconomic issues. These government programs are not a measure of a person's worth - it's a measure of public good. We subsidize efforts that lead to the most public good. Poor people are not going to get subsidies for starting businesses, hiring employees, building building.

    ReplyDelete
  29. The Parks Board President Jack Holland is a bond salesman. Why do you think KC is so far in debt. Ask Jack Holland why we need to refinance the Power & Light bonds ever 3 or 4 years? Ask Jack Holland did he sell Stadium bonds paid back by a regressive sales tax on the poor of KC? Let's start holding people accountable for today's actions not people that have been dead for 70 years.

    ReplyDelete
  30. The KCMO subsidies poke their fingers in the eyes of every resident of the city, particularly those of lower incomes regardless of race.
    What's a great demonstration of the hypocrisy of people like Sly James is pushing to subsidize any "developer" with so much as a pulse, and then manning the barricades with his bullhorn to "fight" for an increase in the minimum wage to $15/hour.
    That, my friends, is hypocrisy on steroids!

    ReplyDelete
  31. The city is much better off with development incentives because their is no way to obligate the developer to invest if the incentives are denied.

    ReplyDelete
  32. What's 100% of nothing? If BlueScope leaves who will lease those buildings? Economy ain't exactly booming right now. But maybe I'm not woke enough to understand?

    ReplyDelete
  33. A 5 star hotel in a, at most, 2 star town will not work.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

TKC COMMENT POLICY:

Be percipient, be nice. Don't be a spammer. BE WELL!!!

- The Management