Kansas side of metro KC develpment thread (Kansas City, Lee's Summit: real estate, 2014)

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by kcmo

Kansas....

They are not even sure how to fund their schools:
Shawnee Mission schools superintendent: No certainty Kansas schools will open next year | The Kansas City Star

Yet this developer will ask for and probably get STAR bonds to do this project. Which means that for the next 20 years, this huge development in a very affluent fast growing outer suburban greenfield area will not only redirect state sales taxes back to the developers, but they will get the money upfront before they even build everything (Like Prairie Fire). Oh and it will cannibalize all the subsided retail development along 135th (corbin park, prairie fire etc) that has taken a decade to get off the ground because the county is so overbuilt with retail.

If Overland Park wants a little hockey arena, then the city should simply find a way to fund the hockey arena and then put it someplace that is not halfway to Wichita.

Using STAR bonds, on top of local tifs, overlay TDD sales taxes etc which ultimately funds much of the entire development way beyond what these "tourist attractions" cost is ludicrous. Developers keep including these attractions to gain STAR bond approval so they can get the rest of the project funded by tax payers. This is why this project has a little science museum and arena, the KCK project also has an arena and amercian royal complex, prairie fire has a museum, the project proposed for 435 and Antioch has an amphitheater, the Mission Gateway was to have an aquarium.

It's great that kansas wants to build all these mini cultural attractions (although I still think contributing to real full scale first class regional attractions is a better use of the money), the Kansas tax payers just keep bending over to not only build little museums, but entire private developments in affluent areas in the middle of nowhere.

If you are going to go broke and be in love with corporate welfare Kansas, at least try to put something in downtown KCK. These types of incentives are unheard of almost anywhere in the country. But on 167th Street in affluent and rapidly developing (yet still rural) south Overland Park? Jesus Christ Kansas tax payers, when are you going to say enough is enough?

STAR Bonds and PEAK should be limited to KCK inside of 635. If you can't do a project in Overland Park with just a normal tif or property tax abatement (you really shouldn't need incentives at all), then the project is probably not ready to happen yet.

With Kansas's budget issues, there really should be a moratorium on STAR bonded projects.

[luzianne]

And yet Kansas schools manage to be accredited.

[GraniteStater]

Originally Posted by Ztonyg

With Kansas's budget issues, there really should be a moratorium on STAR bonded projects.

There needs to be some journalism investigating politicians and developers and connections between them and the use of STAR bonds..

[PA650]

Originally Posted by luzianne

And yet Kansas schools manage to be accredited.

Hopefully they continue to be after the 'Brownback Experiment.'

Kansas....

They are not even sure how to fund their schools:
Shawnee Mission schools superintendent: No certainty Kansas schools will open next year | The Kansas City Star

Yet this developer will ask for and probably get STAR bonds to do this project. Which means that for the next 20 years, this huge development in a very affluent fast growing outer suburban greenfield area will not only redirect state sales taxes back to the developers, but they will get the money upfront before they even build everything (Like Prairie Fire). Oh and it will cannibalize all the subsided retail development along 135th (corbin park, prairie fire etc) that has taken a decade to get off the ground because the county is so overbuilt with retail.

If Overland Park wants a little hockey arena, then the city should simply find a way to fund the hockey arena and then put it someplace that is not halfway to Wichita.

Using STAR bonds, on top of local tifs, overlay TDD sales taxes etc which ultimately funds much of the entire development way beyond what these "tourist attractions" cost is ludicrous. Developers keep including these attractions to gain STAR bond approval so they can get the rest of the project funded by tax payers. This is why this project has a little science museum and arena, the KCK project also has an arena and amercian royal complex, prairie fire has a museum, the project proposed for 435 and Antioch has an amphitheater, the Mission Gateway was to have an aquarium.

It's great that kansas wants to build all these mini cultural attractions (although I still think contributing to real full scale first class regional attractions is a better use of the money), the Kansas tax payers just keep bending over to not only build little museums, but entire private developments in affluent areas in the middle of nowhere.

If you are going to go broke and be in love with corporate welfare Kansas, at least try to put something in downtown KCK. These types of incentives are unheard of almost anywhere in the country. But on 167th Street in affluent and rapidly developing (yet still rural) south Overland Park? Jesus Christ Kansas tax payers, when are you going to say enough is enough?

STAR Bonds and PEAK should be limited to KCK inside of 635. If you can't do a project in Overland Park with just a normal tif or property tax abatement (you really shouldn't need incentives at all), then the project is probably not ready to happen yet.

These developers are making a killing. I need to switch careers soon...

[SPonteKC]

Originally Posted by luzianne

And yet Kansas schools manage to be accredited.

So do Missouri's

[Ztonyg]

Originally Posted by s.davis

So do Missouri's

Her point was that the JoCo schools are still accredited whereas the KCMO school district isn't.

There is a point, however, that the lack of funding really does start to hurt the education system as teachers move to other states and/or leave the profession and students don't have access to resources.

[rwiksell]

Originally Posted by luzianne

And yet Kansas schools manage to be accredited.

When are you going to stop comparing Johnson County to KCMO? You're the only one I know on here who consistently does that.

Even KCMO boosters like myself don't try to compare them directly. They are two completely different animals. People are different, and some want what JoCo has to offer, while others prefer KCMO. In a perfect world, each can thrive, and can recognize the other's right to thrive. But in the real world, JoCo is trying to thrive at the expense of KCMO.

Often a little flame war will start over Kansas vs. Missouri, but that debate only makes sense if you're comparing Overland Park to Lee's Summit, or Olathe to Liberty.

[brooksider2brooklyn]

Originally Posted by luzianne

And yet Kansas schools manage to be accredited.

Doesn't Missouri have a lot more good school districts than Kansas? Between suburban KC and suburban St Louis I think Missouri dwarfs the few districts in JOCOUNTY. And I seriously doubt kck schools are all that great.

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by s.davis

So do Missouri's

Except Kansas City Missouri School District

[luzianne]

Originally Posted by brooksider2brooklyn

Doesn't Missouri have a lot more good school districts than Kansas? Between suburban KC and suburban St Louis I think Missouri dwarfs the few districts in JOCOUNTY. And I seriously doubt kck schools are all that great.

No. And actually some school districts in KCK are really good. Piper, for instance.