Tag: Wichita city government
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Kansas historic preservation tax credits: the hearing
On Wednesday, the Taxation Committee of the Kansas House of Representatives heard testimony on HB 2496, which would expand the historic preservation tax credit program. This program provides tax credits to qualified historic preservation projects. I testified at the hearing, and my written testimony is at Kansas historic preservation tax credits should not be expanded.
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Detroit, corporate welfare and Wichita’s future
Recently The Eagle printed an article by Molly McMillin, a well-respected aviation and business reporter. The question asked throughout the article is one that Wichita leaders and citizens have been asking for some time: What can we do to prevent Wichita from falling into the hole that is Detroit? A simple answer is to continue…
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Destination ICT rollout presents a look at the future of Wichita
Yesterday Rebecca Ryan of Next Generation Consulting presented “Destination ICT.” This is a program designed to “attract and retain talent to Wichita.” It’s sponsored by Young Professionals of Wichita which is an initiative of the Wichita Metro Chamber of Commerce.
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Assessment of Wichita’s Intrust Bank Arena’s success premature
Any rational assessment of the success of the Intrust Bank Arena in downtown Wichita must realize that the arena is in its honeymoon period. Until initial enthusiasm dies down and the arena has a track record of a year or more, we simply have no idea what the financial performance of the arena will be.…
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Kansas historic preservation tax credits audit reveals inefficiency, data problems
Yesterday the Kansas legislative Post Audit Committee received an audit recently completed by the Legislative Division of Post Audit. The audit, titled Kansas Tax Revenues, Part I: Reviewing Tax Credits, revealed that the historic preservation tax credit is not efficient. Further, the Department Revenue is not accurately tracking the cost of the program.
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David Burk, Wichita developer, overreaches
Today’s Wichita Eagle contains a story about a well-known Wichita real estate developer that, while shocking, shouldn’t really be all that unexpected. The opening sentence of the article (Developer appealed taxes on city-owned property) tells us most of what we need to know: “Downtown Wichita’s leading developer, David Burk, represented himself as an agent of…
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It’s not the same as pee in the swimming pool
In a column in the February 27, 2008 Wichita Eagle (“Smoking ban issue not one to negotiate”), columnist Mark McCormick quotes Charlie Claycomb, co-chair of Tobacco Free Wichita, as equating a smoking section in a restaurant with “a urinating section in a swimming pool.” This is a ridiculous comparison. A person can’t tell upon entering…
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Kansas historic preservation building tax credits discussed
Sometimes on blogs people don’t take the time to read comments left to posts. Sometimes those comments provide valuable discussion and illumination of public policy issues. So here I take a moment to elevate a few comments left to a recent blog post.
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Wichita downtown planners hosting events
The Wichita Downtown Development Corporation is holding two events in February that should be of interest to those concerned about the future of downtown Wichita and the city and region as a whole.
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Randal O’Toole on Wichita’s WaterWalk and government planning
As part of Randal O’Toole’s visit to Wichita, he recorded some remarks in front of a few of Wichita’s monuments to government planning. Paul Soutar of Kansas Watchdog recorded video and assembled the remarks. His reporting is Randal O’Toole on Wichita’s WaterWalk and Government Planning.
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Businesses in Old Town Cinema district fought property taxes
As reported in the Wichita Eagle by Brent Wistrom: “Business owners in a special taxing district surrounding the Old Town Warren Theatre have fought to have their property taxes reduced, forcing the city to cover debts incurred when the city bought land, installed utilities and built a park to spur the development.” I guess no…
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Wichita city council signals possible change in economic development incentive policy
At today’s meeting of the Wichita City Council, discussion by council members and their vote may signal a change in the city’s stance toward economic development incentives.