Furious at the Former Council & Mayor
News is starting to leak out that Kansas City taxpayers are going to get stuck with a $4 million bill to cover bond payments on the Power and Light District. That is $4 million dollars getting diverted to bankers instead of to snow removal or street repair. That's $4 million dollars that ought to be spent on Kansas Citians, instead of institutional bondholders. That is $4 million this year - who knows how much we'll get stuck with in future years, as the economy slows and we realize we're throwing good money to prop up a bad investment?
It's all because of the former City Council and especially the former Mayor, who blew our tax dollars for projections based on sparkles and unicorns.
Do you really want light rail? Do you want a downtown stadium someday? Do you want snow-free streets on the morning after a storm? Do you want sewers that don't flow into Brush Creek and cause fines from the EPA?
Well, too bad. We're spending that money on the Power and Light District, instead. Instead of all those things, we're investing in tax-favored, out-of-town bars and restaurants.
Labels: brooks, city council, kansas city, Kay Barnes, TIF
posted by Dan at 11/11/2008 06:52:00 AM
5 Comments:
Perhaps this is a foolish question, but why would the credit crunch cause us to pay more in interest on the bonds? Aren't they issued at a fixed rate?
Deb Hermann several months ago predicted it would be more like 7 million. The economic downturn and the fact that not all of the District is occupied are going to be a double whammy. Easily predicted and was so. I agree with you. Frankly I can see us having to approve a sales tax increase just to handle this additional expense. And remember, we haven't even begun to deal with the sewers. If I were the former Mayor I think I'd re-locate way north .. like Canada.
Wake up Dante... the same class of lying two faced buffoons were trying to bring us light rail. Besides neglecting to remind everyone about the huge cost of the upcoming federally mandated sewer project, it seems that our friends down at City Hall also forgot to tell us about the current and near term budget disaster and shortfall which is going to cause even more cutbacks, less services and more pain (Troy Shulte had a slealthily publicized chat with the Parks Board the morning of the vote). And you want us to trust Mark Funkhouser who is the top of this pile of lying weasels to be in charge of light rail or anything else? Wake up!!!!!!! He can't even balance a campaign checkbook or borrow responsibly against his own home!!Light rail is a costly amenity (not essential) that we simply cannot afford and whatever Mayor Smart With Nothinghouser tells us, it will lose money on an operating basis (and just where would that money come from) and require a draconian tax increase in addition to what's coming for the sewer project.
Oh, I did omit something... it seems that the ex-leader of the now defunct orange revolution also forgot tell let the disastrous and unpleasant results of the annual citizen satisfaction survey out until after the light rail votes were cast! Good open government, eh? Are YOU part of this fraud too?
If I were the former Mayor I think I'd re-locate way north .. like Canada.
I don't know. I guess I'm relatively young, but in the history of municipal governance has there been a more obvious call?
The previous leadership of this city was more interested in creating a playground for suburban yups than in making KC a better place for those of us who actually live here.
I look forward to seeing my water bill double and triple over the next few years while the city continues to subsidize Skanks of Fun.
Jon
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