Category: Wichita city government
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Tax increment financing (TIF Districts) in Wichita, explained
Last week I spoke to the Wichita Pachyderm Club about tax increment financing, or TIF districts, in Wichita. John Todd spoke about the same topic, too. Surprisingly, my remarks contained some different material from the talk given to the same group by Allen Bell, Wichita’s director of urban development.
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Kansas law requires Wichita to hold another public hearing
Recently, the Wichita city council passed a resolution announcing a public hearing on a TIF district and its project plan. The city then, on the day before the hearing, substantially changed the plan. This change means that the city must hold another public hearing.
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Some Wichita communications breakdowns are more important than others
At the December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, Mayor Carl Brewer scolded interim city manager Scott Moore for failure to communicate effectively with council members. The process, according to the mayor, “made a complete mockery of the entire process and everything we actually do.”
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Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer’s selective outrage
At the Tuesday December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, Mayor Carl Brewer expressed his displeasure with the way city staff handled its investigation of a developer the city was preparing to do business with. The problem, it seems, is largely one of communications. City staff didn’t present the council members with relevant…
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Defective public hearing in Wichita. Open government needed.
John Todd and Bill Davitt speak about the defective public hearing held at a recent Wichita City Council Meeting, and about the importance of open and transparent government.
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Sharon Fearey doesn’t appreciate the Wichita Eagle
At the December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, Sharon Fearey expressed her displeasure with reporting done by the Wichita Eagle.
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We Don’t Want Secrecy in Wichita Government
President Harry Truman said “Secrecy and a free, democratic government don’t mix.”
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“Thank You, Wichita Eagle”
Mustering all the sarcasm she can, Sharon Fearey says “Thank you, Wichita Eagle.” Speaking from the bench at the December 16, 2008 meeting of the Wichita City Council, she’s referring to reporting that newspaper did that uncovered problems in the past of the person referred to as the principal developer of a project. Wichita city…
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Wichita City Council: Put better procedures in place before proceeding
Mr. Mayor and members of the council, developments surrounding the Renaissance Square project in the C.O.R.E. Redevelopment District are unfolding so rapidly that we need to step back and think about the wisdom of proceeding with the current plans. As things stand now, citizens can have little confidence in this project and the way the…
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Wichita City Hall confusion leads to evaporation of confidence
Reporting in the Wichita Eagle by Brent Wistrom (City vows to better vet its partners, Sunday December 15, 2008) has revealed a city staff confused as to basic procedures for safeguarding citizens’ taxes, not to mention their trust.
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Wichita Public Hearing Action Not Evidence of Leadership
In an op-ed piece in Sunday’s Wichita Eagle, Interim Wichita City Manager Scott Moore makes the case that “the [Wichita city] council’s Dec. 2 vote demonstrated leadership and an ability to respond decisively to urgent community matters after appropriate public deliberations.”
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Dion Lefler: Problems With Wichita Developer Uncovered
On the KPTS television public affairs program Kansas Week yesterday, Wichita Eagle reporter Dion Lefler talks about problems he uncovered with a developer the City of Wichita wants to partner with. I chime in a little.