Downtown Wichita arena Archives - Page 8 of 10 Voice For Liberty

Feb

Government vs. private investment and the downtown Wichita arena

A Wichita businessman proposes building an arena that, while not as large as the downtown Wichita arena being built by Sedgwick County, would provide some competition to the government-owned arena. Normally, private investment is welcomed. If you believe in limited government as I do, it is vastly preferred to government spending. But if you're a Sedgwick County Commissioner getting ready to spend some $200 million in sales tax collections on a government arena, it seems that competition from the private sector isn't welcome. As reported in The Wichita Eagle: Sedgwick County Commission Chairman Dave Unruh said he would prefer Hartman…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Wichita downtown arena project’s failing finances

Arena Project’s Failing Finances Critics And Tax Hike Opponents Were Right From Kansas Taxpayers Network “The arena critics are being proven right,” said Karl Peterjohn, Executive Director of the Kansas Taxpayers Network, the oldest taxpayer organization in Kansas. “As the leading opponent of the 2004 downtown arena project in Wichita, it is becoming increasingly clear that this project is in major trouble.” “In 2004 KTN’s Vote NO flyer warned, ‘Key details about the arena such as location, parking, and design, are not known’,” Peterjohn said. “Our vote NO flyer also warned, ‘With a $184.5 million price tag and no guarantee…

Aug

By Bob Weeks

A public or private downtown Wichita arena, which is desirable?

(From October, 2004) Image what our town could be like if the Wichita downtown arena vote fails and Sedgwick County Commissioners put aside for a moment their plans for the renovation of the Kansas Coliseum. Suppose, instead, that arena supporters, along with those who would vote yes for the sales tax and anyone else who wants to, formed a corporation to build and own an arena. Instead of having paid taxes to government, arena supporters would be investors. They would own something: their shares in the arena. They would have the pride and responsibility that comes with ownership. They would…

Jul

By Bob Weeks

Eminent Doman and the Downtown Wichita Arena

Thank you to John Todd for this excellent material. Testimony in Opposition to the County's use of Eminent Domain for the Arena Project. Dear Commissioners: My name is John Todd. I am a real estate broker and developer and I come before you in opposition to the County's proposed use of eminent domain for the downtown arena footprint. On August 25, 2004 and prior to the arena vote in November of that year, I presented testimony before this Commission questioning the wisdom of building a downtown arena without knowing the exact location of the parcel(s) of land the project would…

Mar

By Bob Weeks

Sedgwick County Arena Sales Tax Ready to Pass

Following is a message from Karl Peterjohn, Executive Director Kansas Taxpayers Network, regarding the debate over SB 58, allowing Sedgwick County to raise its sales tax to pay for the downtown Wichita arena. I listened to the (as Karl rightly characterises it) "debate." Karl's reporting of the legislative action and the effects the sales tax will have is accurate. (Someone called the sales tax the "Western Butler County Improvement Act.") After a relatively brief and lackluster debate, the 1 cent sales tax hike for the downtown arena in Wichita received preliminary approval in the Kansas house March 21 on a…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

SB 58 Testimony from Kansas Taxpayers Network

More testimony opposing SB 58, the bill to allow Sedgwick County to increase its sales tax to pay for the downtown arena. Testimony Opposing SB 58 By Karl Peterjohn, Executive Director, Kansas Taxpayers Network SB 58 is a flawed bill that should either be re-drafted or defeated in its current form, Let me outline the major problems with this legislation. 1) This bill does not address the serious flaws already contained within KSA 12 187 that cry out for correction. This is a grossly non uniform statute that should be made, uniform covering all local government units. Today, cities may,…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Legislative Delegation, Saturday February 5, 2005

On Saturday February 5, 2005 I attended the meeting of the local legislative delegation regarding the arena tax. Representative Tom Sawyer chaired the meeting. The audience wrote questions on notecards, and Representative Brenda Landwehr read them. To the best of my recollection, the people allowed to answer questions were Sedgwick County Commissioner Tom Winters, Sedgwick County Assistant County Manager Ron Holt, Sedgwick County Director of Finance Chris Chronis, Wichita Mayor Carlos Mayans, and Wichita Downtown Development Corporation President Ed Wolverton. All of these are arena supporters. No one with an opposing view was allowed to speak, except for near the…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

From John Todd: Testimony regarding Senate Bill No. 58

February 3, 2005 Members Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee State Capitol Topeka, Kansas 66612 Subject: Testimony in OPPOSITION TO SENATE BILL #58 (Sales Tax Increase For The Proposed Wichita/Sedgwick County Arena). My name is John Todd. I am a self-employed real estate broker from Wichita, and I come before you in opposition to the enabling legislation that would allow Sedgwick County to raise the local sales tax 1% to fund a new Downtown Arena. The reason why I am here in opposition to this government driven plan is my basic belief that individuals know best how to spend their own…

Feb

By Bob Weeks

Written testimony regarding Senate Bill No. 58 (Wichita downtown arena tax)

Written testimony of Bob Weeks regarding Senate Bill No. 58, an act concerning sales taxation; relating to countywide retailers' sales tax in Sedgwick County. February 3, 2005 Members Senate Assessment and Taxation Committee State Capitol Topeka, Kansas 66612 Honorable Senators: Thank you for allowing me to present this written testimony. I realize that the voters in Sedgwick County voted for the arena sales tax increase. I believe, however, there is ample reason why you should vote against the tax. The idea of the taxpayer-funded arena came about so fast in the summer of 2004 that there was little thought given…

Jan

By Bob Weeks

Letter to Kansas Legislators regarding Sedgwick County arena tax

January 25, 2005 Dear Senator or Representative: I am writing to express my opposition to the legislature granting Sedgwick County the authority to raise its county-wide sales tax in order to fund the proposed downtown Wichita arena. I realize that the voters in Sedgwick County voted for the tax. Still, I believe there is ample reason why you should vote against the tax. The primary reason is that the idea of the arena came about so fast in the summer that there was little thought given to the underlying issues. The Center for Economic Development and Business Research at Wichita…