Tag: Allen Bell
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Wichita revises economic development policy
The City of Wichita has passed a revision to its economic development policies. Instead of promoting economic freedom and a free-market approach, the new policy gives greater power to city bureaucrats and politicians, and is unlikely to produce the economic development that Wichita needs.
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Carl Brewer: State of the City for Wichita, 2012
Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer delivers his State of the City Address for 2012.
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Kansas and Wichita quick takes: Thursday November 10, 2011
Today: Occupy Wall Street; Johnson Controls; Save-A-Lot store opens; Teacher pay; Ranzau, Skelton to speak; Making economics come alive; Economics in two minutes.
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Wichita city council: substance and process
The Wichita City Council and city hall bureaucrats have shown that they are willing to follow the letter of the law, but following the spirit and substance of the law, especially regarding public hearings and citizen involvement, remains a challenge for the city.
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At Wichita City Council, facts are in dispute
Some Wichita City Council members, including Mayor Carl Brewer, criticize citizens for their use of inaccurate and misleading information. So how do the statements made by council members fare when subjected to scrutiny?
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For Wichita’s Project Downtown, goal keeps slipping
In selling a plan for the revitalization of downtown Wichita, promoters started with a promise of much private investment for just a little public investment. But as the plan proceeded, the goal kept slipping, and the first project to be approved under the final plan will probably not come close to meeting even the modest…
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In Wichita, historic preservation tax credits an inefficient form of developer welfare
As part of the subsidy plan for Douglas Place, a downtown Wichita hotel being proposed, developers plan to make extensive use of historic preservation tax credits to fund their project. This form of developer welfare, besides being inefficient, is largely hidden from public view.
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Wichita City Council bows to special interests
Yesterday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council revealed a council — except for one member — totally captured by special interests, to the point where the council, aided by city staff, used a narrow legal interpretation in order to circumvent a statutorily required public hearing process.
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Despite allegations, Wichita’s Dave Burk remains favored
Wichita developer David Burk remains in favor at city hall despite allegations.
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For Wichita, Save-A-Lot teaches a lesson
The announcement that a Save-A-Lot grocery store will proceed — contrary to the claims of developers and city staff who rely on their information — should provide a lesson that economic development in Wichita can and will happen without public assistance.
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Wichita on corporate welfare, again
An award of $2.5 million by the City of Wichita to aircraft manufacturer Hawker Beechcraft to ward off a threatened move to Louisiana stands out as an example of corporate welfare given for its own sake, and not in response to any real threat.
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Wichita forgivable loan action raises and illustrates issues
The granting of a forgivable loan by the City of Wichita to The Golf Warehouse raises issues of both economics and politics.