Tag: Allen Bell
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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.
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Economic development planning in Wichita on tap
Tuesday’s meeting of the Wichita City Council features four public hearings concerning Community Improvement District. One CID also will have a public hearing on its application for tax increment financing (TIF).
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For downtown Wichita, Mayor Brewer has a vision
In Sunday’s Wichita Eagle, Wichita Mayor Carl Brewer penned a piece that states his belief in the importance of downtown and prepares the people of Wichita for the start of a prescriptive planning process, with accompanying subsidy to politically-favored developers willing to fulfill the plan.
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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.