Tag: Wichita city government
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Tax increment financing is not free money
Cato Institute Senior Fellow Randal O’Toole has written extensively on the subject of urban planning, development, and tax increment financing (TIF) districts. The following article contains many points that the Wichita City Council may wish to consider as it considers expansion of a downtown Wichita TIF district at tomorrow’s council meeting.
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Wichita proposed tax increment financing district subject of news
Today’s Wichita Eagle carries two news stories regarding the proposed expansion of a downtown Wichita tax increment financing (TIF) district. The front-page story Condo vote key to downtown Wichita growth and the additional story Owners report mixed views of developers provided background on the vote the Wichita City Council may make at Tuesday’s 9:00 am…
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Taxpayer-funded development in Wichita opposed
After the formal presentation I personally complemented the Minnesota Guys and thanked them for what they were doing downtown. They assured me that their redevelopment work in our downtown would be completed without government incentives, and I assured them that they would have my support as long as they stayed out of the public treasury.
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Tax increment financing questions topic at Wichita city council meeting
On Tuesday the Wichita city council heard a request by Real Development for a $2.5 million increase in tax increment financing on a downtown project. Discussion during the meeting revealed how little is known about the numbers that the city uses in deciding whether to participate in the project. Numbers that don’t make sense, plus…
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Wichita Larksfield Place bonds should not be issued
Today’s meeting of the Wichita city council will have a public hearing concerning the issuance of health care facilities revenue bonds for Larksfield Place, a decidedly high-end retirement and assisted living center in east Wichita.
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Wichita Exchange Place TIF should be rejected
Tomorrow’s meeting of the Wichita city council will feature a public hearing as to whether a tax increment financing district that benefits Real Development should be modified.
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Wichita city hall silent on handling of ethics issue
On Tuesday the Wichita city council will hold a public hearing regarding a request by Real Development for a $2.5 million increase in tax increment district financing. While this proposal should be opposed on its merits, there is reason to give extra scrutiny to this matter. That’s because Real Development employs the services of Wichita…
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Wichita community improvement district questions unanswered
This week the Wichita city council approved the use of Community Improvement Districts. These districts are a new creation of the Kansas legislature from last year.
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Wichita economic development incentives discussed
At today’s meeting of the Wichita city council, economic development incentives were a topic of discussion.
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Wichita targeted economic development should end
Is the City of Wichita able to choose which companies are worthy of taxpayer assistance for the purposes of economic development?
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Wichita Warren Theater IRB a TIF district in disguise
On Tuesday the Wichita City Council will consider an economic development incentive for a local business. The process the city is using to grant this incentive bypasses the scrutiny that accompanies the formation of TIF districts while providing essentially the same benefit.
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Will the real robber barons please stand up?
At the April 13th meeting of the Wichita City Council a request from downtown developer Real Development will be made for an additional $2.2 million taxpayer subsidy for its condo project Exchange Place, located at Douglas and Market. With two weeks to go before this public hearing there is still time for council members to…