The Dotte

Statement by Unified Government Commissioner Mike Kane 2012 Unified Government Budget

Statement by Unified Government Commissioner Mike Kane

2012 Unified Government Budget

As a Unified Government Commissioner, I support the economic development successes Wyandotte County is experiencing. Developments like Village West, Hollywood Casino and LiveStrong Sporting Park are positive for the entire city and will help us make improvements and start new developments in older parts of the city, such as redevelopment of the Indian Springs mall.

I have never believed the misinformation put out by the Wyandotte County Taxpayers League, a small group labeled “the gang that can’t shoot straight” in a recent Kansas City Star editorial.

My opposition to the 2012 Unified Government budget had nothing to do with their unfounded allegations. My no vote was a protest against the timing of the budget vote, nothing more. I felt with three new Commissioners we all needed more time to review the budget and receive additional information. The Unified Government faces financial challenges like many cities, but the budget plan is sound. 

I work hard to be an independent voice representing the best interests of the entire community, not just my district. I am a proud Union member, but I have no time for “gangs” or alliances which are damaging to the Commission and the community.  

Fact Sheet: Unified Government Budget and Finances

The Unified Government is in compliance with all State budget laws and accepted governmental accounting practices. It is a balanced budget which accurately reflects the policy decisions adopted by the Unified Government Board of Commissioners.

The increase in property tax rate was necessary to avoid further cuts in service, employee lay-offs and rebuild cash reserves. Even with the tax rate increase property owners will pay less in city-county property tax for the 2012 budget than they paid in 2009. The property tax rate is still much lower than before the Unified Government was created. In 1997 it was was 97 mills. Now its 81.6 mills.

The Unified Government receives less than half of the total tax bill paid by a Wyandotte County resident.

A number of other cities in the KC metro and across Kansas also increased property taxes to fund their 2012 budgets. Overland Park increased its property tax nearly 40% because it had spent its cash reserves from a high of $63-million in 2007 to $18-million by the end of 2011.

Unified Government debt, the money borrowed to pay for streets, sewers and other public improvements, is in line with other communities. The total Unified Government bonded debt per citizen is $1,741. The total city-county debt per person for Overland Park is $1,536. The total city-county debt per person in Olathe is $2,108.  

The Unified Government can and will pay off the money it’s borrowed. While the Moody’s and Standard & Poor’s credit rating agencies expressed caution about low cash reserves, both give the Unified Government a “AA” bond rating. Statements that the Unified Government is on the verge of bankruptcy are lies.

The Village West and Kansas Speedway development is an economic success. The STAR Bonds used to finance the development will be paid off in 2017, four years ahead of schedule freeing up millions a year in sales tax now used to retire the STAR Bonds.

Unlike the Power and Light District in downtown Kansas City or the Bass Pro development in Independence, the taxpayers of Wyandotte County are not at risk if the Village West development would fail and the bond payments fall short. That’s because the STAR bonds are backed by private investors, not taxpayers.

The Unified Government will soon collect millions a year in property taxes and gaming revenues from the Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway.

Fact Sheet: Citywide Development in KCK

A special interest group is spreading false information about the Unified Government budget and the economic success of developments like Village West. Here are the facts. Please share with your family, friends and neighbors.

§  The economic success of the Village West and Kansas Speedway development are well documented. 10-million visitors annually. $811-million in combined public and private investment. 114 businesses, including 28 restaurants, are open in Village West, employing nearly 5,000 persons. The Hollywood Casino at Kansas Speedway will open in February 2012 creating 1,000 new jobs. Construction of the Cerner Corp office complex will create 4,000 new jobs over the next several years.

§  The  businesses in Village West pay $11.5-million a year in property taxes. They generate more than $610-million in retail sales. Local and state sales tax, use and transient guest tax collections top $41-million. The STAR Bonds used to finance the development will be paid off in 2017, four years ahead of schedule.

§  Village West gets a lot of public attention, but that doesn’t mean the rest of our community has been forgotten. The tax revenue generated by the crowds of shoppers and tourists have stabilized our tax base and are helping pay for improvements in the older urban neighborhoods of KCK.

§  Prescott Plaza at 18th and I-70 is a very successful project which brought the first new grocery store to the urban core in 30 years along with restaurants and shops. A new Sunfresh Market has opened in Turner and the new Happy Foods Grocery opened at 55th and Leavenworth Road.

§  The 39 Rainbow Project is under construction in Rosedale near KU Med Center. It is a $40-million mixed use development with a hotel, retail stores and housing.

§  New Dollar General and Family Dollar stores are opening in several urban neighborhoods bringing the convenience and economic boost of new retail to older areas of KCK.

§  The $14-million Children’s Campus building in downtown KCK is a landmark project in both its benefits to downtown and its important work to help KCK children.

§  The Unified Government commits $2-million a year to improve aging streets in the urban core. Reconstruction of Parallel Parkway from 5th to 9th streets is underway. 7th Street from State Avenue to Fairfax was repaved. New curbs and sidewalks have been built along a 10 block stretch of Quindaro Blvd. Millions have spent across the urban core… from Argentine and Armourdale to Quindaro and Midtown improving sewers to prevent flooding.

§  The Complete Streets program will bring curbs, sidewalks and bike paths to urban neighborhoods. Using federal funds, the Unified Government built sidewalks along State Avenue in Midtown and is moving toward the start of Bus Rapid Transit from downtown Kansas City, Missouri to Village West.

§  New housing has been constructed in Strawberry Hill, Quindaro, Rosedale, Turner and Midtown.

§  The Indian Springs project, while not yet redeveloped, demonstrates the Unified Government commitment to improvements in the urban core and eastern part of KCK.