Has It Finally Happened?

Well, has it?  Has the City Council wised up?

OK, for the long term readers of this blog (and anybody that wants to research previous posts) I have been on the council's case for a long time regarding trips to various conferences.

My comments have always been that these conferences can be helpful, we just did not need to send 4, 5 or 6 people to them.  One or two would suffice and they in turn can brief the others upon their return.

Well, the National League of Cities is having a conference Nov 9 - 12.  That is next week in Phoenix, Arizona.

According to the information I received today only one person is going to represent Shawnee at the conference.  That is great, and that individual can then report what they saw and heard to all the others.

And guess who that person is that is going?  Yes, the one and only. Mr Trip Taker himself: Mickey Sandifer.

Maybe, just maybe, my constant harping on this issue has had the desired effect.  Nahhhhh, the council (certain members anyway) will probably say they did it on their own to save money.  Yeah, right.

More Indicators of Apathy in Shawnee

Just did a little quick research.  This is another example how apathy about local government is rampant in Shawnee.  What I refer to as the "intelligent idiots" of Shawnee.  Those folks who do nothing about our local government but make sure they get involved with national politics. 

Below is a listing from  August 3 until last Wed, October 26 indicatiing what kind of letters have been submitted to the Shawnee Dispatch:

In 13 issues of the Dispatch there were a total of 4 letters commenting on local governmental items.  Seven issues of the Dispatch had no letters of any kind and three issues had letters that were not on topic about local issues.

10/26/11 Illinois school seeking local items
10/19/11  NOTHING
10/12/11  NOTHING
10/5/11  Self serving letter from the Kansas Press Association
9/28/11  NOTHING
9/21/11  NOTHING
9/14/11  Thank you for return of lost item
9/7/11  Local commentary/opinion
8/31/11  NOTHING
8/24/11  Local commentary/opinion
8/17/11  NOTHING
8/10/11  NOTHING
8/3/11  (1) Local commentary/opinion
            (2) Local commentary/opinion

C'mon folks...............get involved with your local government.  Don't be one of the folks that complain after the fact when something happens.

Hoopla Is Directed The Wrong Way

The political season is heating up.  Eyes are on the Republican debates.  Battles over the dates of the Presidential primaries have begun.

And Shawnee is just a little over five motnhs away from a municipal election.  Whooops.........how did that sneak in there?

That's right, on April 3, 2012 Shawnee voters (well at least 10% of them) will go to the polls and make decisions concerning 4 council seats and the mayor.  And 90% of them will sit on their butts and do nothing.

But watch what happens in the Presidential election.  Almost 80% of Shawnee's voters will vote.

I'm not saying don't vote in the Presidential election.  I'm saying get out there and vote for your local government.  The President does not control your property taxes, sales taxes, street repairs, emergency services (police and fire), parks etc.  When was the last time a President plowed snow?  Or filled a chuck hole?  Or got out in the parks to keep them functional?  Never. 

Citizen participation in local governement in Shawnee sucks.  And the local government has more of an effect on your daily lives than any other government level.

Anyway, back to the upcomig elections on April 3, 2012.  Mark your calendars, as that is just a little over 5 months away.

The five people up for reelection are:

Jeff Meyers, Mayor
Jim Neighbor, Ward 1 council (election for him, he was appointed to fill an unexpired term)
Neal Sawyer, Ward 2 council
Dawn Kuhn, Ward 3 council
Mickey Sandifer, Ward 4 council

Right now I can think of 3 of the above who definitely should not be returned to office, and I have mixed emotions on the other two.  More on that later.

Hmmm, Guess I've Been Quiet

Yes, I've been quiet for almost a month.  Why?

Well, there was a committee meeting of the Finance and Administration Committee a few weeks ago.  There were two items on the agenda and I could not believe that nobody from the community showed up.

One item was the redrawing of the ward boundaries.  Don't the people of Shawnee care which ward they live in?  Don't they care who their reps on the council are?  Don't they care who they might be voting for, for council (if they ever get off their lazy butts, since voter turn out stinks)?

The other item concerned hunting regulations within the city limits. 

Regardless of what a person's opinon is, the fact that folks in Shawnee continue to show as much apathy as they do about their local government never ceases to amaze me.

I am continuoulsy getting emails and phone calls with suggestions of causes and situations that people think would be good to get involved with.  My answer to them...............why don't you get involved?

By the way, the two items mentioned above will be on tonight's city council agenda.  Will you be there or will you be crying after the fact?

Missed Opportunities - Again

While some city council members keep screaming that we need economic development (commercial development), what is being done to get it?

Fast food resturants are not the answer, see the post at
http://shawneeray.blogspot.com/2011/03/king-is-coming.html Oh, and by the way, where is it?

The recent Kanrocksas concert at Village West pulled in about 60,000 people for 2 days. A bit short of their original prediction of 100,000, but then this was the first of what is supposed to be an annual event. Willie Nelson's Farm Aid pulled in over 18,000 shortly after.

What did we in Shawnee get from those two events?

We are approximately 7 minutes south of the Village West complex. A complex that was started approximately 10 years ago.The casino going in up there is moving along quite nicely. There will also be a major hotel to go with it. With the right type of development along the I-35 corridor we could receive some benefits from this. Will we ever see it? I doubt it

Is It a Hotel or Pie In The Sky

Let's use the article in today's Shawnee Dispatch as a reference point:
http://www.shawneedispatch.com/news/2011/aug/24/city-moves-abate-unsafe-buildings-hotel-site/


The hotel project began in 2008. Basically very little has been done since then. Some structures that were on the property and are still there have deteriorated to the point that they are safety hazards. Not to mention eyesores.

So, what is happening? The city is going to hold a public hearing to make a determination. If the items are determined to be hazards and the owners do not take them down the city will demolish them. Then the city will have to bill the owners for that action.

Now, in the above referenced article appears this, from city manager Carol Gonzales:

"Gonzales said the city wanted to maintain a positive relationship with the hotel group and looked forward to the new development. However, she said, the blighted structures have reached the point where they are unsafe."

Duhhhhh!!!!!!! What kind of relationship does the developer want to maintain with the city? Why after receiving various notices about this problem have they failed to act? Why are they willing to let the city go to the expense of demolishing the structures? If the city has to do it, will the developers repay the city? Or will legal action have to be taken to recoup the funds?

The cost of demolition is about $20K...............a drop in the bucket of the budget for the construction of a hotel of this size.  Kinda makes a person wanna ask how committed is the developer to this project.

Sellin' Gold

A little over a week ago I decided to take advantage of the price on gold and sell off two pieces that I don't need anymore.


One was a man's bracelet that I bought over 30 years ago in San Diego and the other was a company ring with a diamond from a company that I no longer work for.

Learned some interesting things, that I'd like to pass on. First, the price that you hear in the media is for 24k gold. Second, you're not going to get that since whoever buys it from you has to have room to make a profit. Because of that I had a price in mind of $650-$750.

With that in mind I took the 2 pieces (both were 14k) to a pawn shop on 87th Street that says they buy gold. The gentleman there offered me $400. Something just told me not to even bother trying to negotiate.

Then I went to this place over on 76th St and Metcalf that gold buying is their business. Nicely decorated, coffee available , kinda trying to make ya feel at home. The young man there, after going through some gyrations offered me $300. Told him he was crazy. His place was supposed to be a "gold buying store" and a pawn shop just offered me $400. He went through some more gyrations and called "one of the owners". Came back to me with an offer of $500. Told him he was too short and I didn't appreciate his feeble attempt at low balling me.

Then I went to a pawn shop on 75th Street. He was pretty close. He offered me $500 right off the bat, and when I went to negotiate for what I wanted he countered with $575, as the best he could do (gettin' closer) but if I came back the next day the boss might be able to do better. I liked his demeanor.

My next stop was Thompson's Jewelry at 6642 Nieman Rd. Beautiful..........John offered me $600 from the start. Then I asked if he had looked at the diamond (about 1/3 carat). He admitted he had not, he thought I might want it to do something else. When he looked at it, he said he could bump the price another $50. Now he was right in line with what my original self estimate was. We made the deal.

Moral of the story...........do business with local merchants, especially when selling gold. Remember, the prices I was given were as low as $300 to what I finally got, $650 (well, $600 for the gold) . That's a spread.

Vaught's Comparison of Shawnee to Liberty (MO) Faulty

Prior to voting on the CID for 10 Quivira Plaza 3rd ward council rep Jeff Vaught attempted to compare Shawnee with Liberty, MO.


One of the arguments against the CID was that it would increase the sales tax paid on food, since the primary retailer in that shopping center is a grocery store.

Well Mr. Vaught brought out some info that Liberty had multiple CIDs and that two of them had grocery stores.

Something didn't seem right, but I did not have the info at hand. Now I do. Liberty officials were contacted and the information received is very interesting.

In Liberty, when one shops at a grocery store the sales tax on groceries is 3% LESS than non-grocery items. OK, let's break that down. In the two shopping centers he was talking about, the sales tax (with the 1% for their CID) is 8.6%, but on grocery items it is only 5.6%. Prior to the CID the sales taxes would have been 7.6% and 4.6%. So, in Liberty the tax did go up on grocery items, but the total tax paid on them is still quite a bit less than on non-grocery items.

So as to make sure everyone knows what qualifies as a grocery item, Missouri uses the federal guidelines for SNAP (supplemental nutrition assistance program, formerly food stamps). If it is an item that can be purchased with SNAP it qualifies as a grocery item for the reduced sales tax rate. The reduced sales tax rate applies to all individuals not just SNAP recipients.

How come Mr Vaught did not mention the bi-level sales tax in grocery stores there?  Curious, did he do his own research or was he spoon fed the info?

CID Approval

This past Monday the city council approved a CID (Community Improvement District) for 10 Quivira Plaza.

My opinion still stands that this is a bad precedent to use this type of financing tool for a neighborhood shopping center.  The increased 1/2% sales tax will go to helping the ownership revitalize the center.  Others might now apply for the same type of financing which could result in shopping center specific tax increases of up to 2%.

In this case the ownership will be spending $2.8 million and the sales tax is being used to obtain an additional $1.4 million for the revitalization.  I applaud the ownership for their willingness to secure the $2.8 million.  That is the American way.  I criticize them for using the citizens of Shawnee (especially Ward 2) to finance the balance.

One of the arguments used by some on the council to support the tax increase was that if the ownership had to finance the improvements then they would raise the rents and the citizens would still be paying more.  Duhhhhh.................they are using $2.8 million of their own (or secured).  Won't they still raise rents?  Leaving the merchants to pass that on to the citizens?  Maybe not on stores that have existing leases, but what about at renewal time?  What about when the empty stores are filled?  Won't the revitalization be a selling tool for setting their rental rates higher?

Now, another argument for approving the CID was that by improving the shopping center it will be assessed at a higher value, bringing in more property tax dollars to the city.  Duhhhhhhhhhhhh.............is the ownership going to absorb those property tax increases?  Of course not.  Rents will still be set higher.

Then, when the ownership sells the center, for a profit which they are entitled to, the new ownership would have to also adjust rents............which means the merchants will still have to increase their prices.

So, what does that mean?  It means that the arguments that without the CID the rents would go up and prices also, are/were bogus arguments.  Prices are still going to go up. The sales tax increase will just be
on a higher retail price, ergo, a larger dollar amount.

Three of the five council reps who voted for this increase are up for reelection in 8 months (April 2012).

I strongly urge folks to work against their reelection.  Even if you are not in their ward, there is nothing to stop you from working against their reelection.

These are:

Mickey Sandifer.............ward 4...........talks about caring about senior citizens but I don't see that
Dawn Kuhn..........ward 3.............also was a strong supporter of the 5% franchise fee..........send her packing
Jim Neighbor..........ward 1............wasn't even elected......appointed to fill Cheryl Scott's remaining time............nice guy, but a review of the resumés of the others who applied for the position was not, IMHO the best qualified.

I'll Be There............Will You?

Tonight, the public hearing for the proposed Community Improvement District at 10 Quivira Plaza (Quivira Rd & Shawnee Mission Parkway).

This would include a 1/2% sales tax increase, just for that shopping center, which would include the Price Chopper Supermarket.

Shawnee City Hall, Nieman Rd & Johnson Dr at 7:30PM

Be there..........get involved.........voice your opinions.

Another Reminder

Monday................8/8/11.......7:30PM.................City Hall

On the agenda:  The proposed Community Improvement District for 10 Quivira Plaza

Be there.................voice your opinion.............

Tell your friends, family about this important meeting.  It could set a precedent.  Is it a precedent that you want?  Let's hear you.

Be There, Monday August 8, 2011

Reminder................

Public hearing for the proposed Community Improvement District at 10 Quivira Plaza will be Monday, August 8, 2011 at 7:30 PM in the city council chambers, Johnson Drive and Nieman Rd.

This is an important issue for many reasons, including the possibility of a 1/2% sales tax increase for the shops in the district.  Keeping in mind that the largest generator of revenue in the shopping center is a grocery store.

Be there at the hearing with your opinions............the good, the bad and the ugly.............but be there.

Community Improvement District - 10 Quivira Plaza

Well, this is coming up again.  The public hearing is scheduled for Monday, August 8th at the City Council meeting at 7:30PM.

If approved, this would also include a 1/2% sales tax just on the shops in that center.  The basics are that  $4.2 million is needed for the revitalization of the shopping center.  The ownership is putting up $2.8 million and the balance ($1.4 million) would come from the extra sales tax.

This is another one of those items that needs citizen input................pros and cons.

One thing that I find intriguing is that just like last time, the item did not come before a committee but directly to the full council.

No Mill Levy Increase

Whooopeeee.  Some folks are making noise about how the city budget did not include a mill levy increase.

Of course not.  We have our 5% franchise fee.  Wheeeeeeee.  OK, let's use the KISS theory.  Your utility bills have a franchise fee on them.  The fee is 5% of the utility bill.  Basically that goes back to the utility because that is what the city is charging them and state law allows the utilities to pass that on.  That is why, when it came up in the summer of 2009 many folks (including me) spoke out against it.  See what happens, is that everytine the utility rates go up, that 5% goes up.  Every time you use more gas and/or electricity your bill goes up (think super hot summer or super cold winter...look at next month's bill for the effect of the July heat), and your 5% franchise fee amount goes up.

Way back when..............I said that eventually folks might forget it was the city that levied this and would start holding it against the utilities. 

So, there are folks who can pat themselves on the back and make themselves look and sound good for not raising the mill levy............but just look at that franchise fee.  Up, up and away....... in our rising utility costs, translated to franchise fee, translated to.............tax.

Where Did $79 Million Go?

Unless you were at the Shawnee City Council meeting Monday night you probably cannot answer that question.

The point I'm trying to make is that unless Shawnee citizens get involved they have no idea how the council is spending their money. 

Monday was a perfect example of what I have been saying for a long time.  During the business from the floor portion (after the budget hearing), a member of the community got up to say how unhappy he and other folks in his subdivision were with some recent street repairs.  Personally, I do not know if his complaints was valid or not.  What I do know is that he, like just about everybody else, never showed up at various council meetings when it was discussed how certain street repairs had to be modified.  They were never there when it was discussed how certain repairs, for budgetary reasons, had to be cut back.  And, he and others were not there to discuss, at the budget hearing, the various points of how to use the Deffenbaugh impact fees (infrastructure, eco development or a combination).

And are he and his neighbors among the high percentage of Shawnee residents who vote in Presidential elections, but sit home for City Council elections.  Don't believe me?  Here are the numbers, for Shawnee:

2008 Presidential election  40,791  registered voters   32,177 actually voted

2010 City Council election   39,862 registered voters  3,890 actually voted

That means that 78.9% of Shawnee citizens voted for President, but only 9.8% voted in the last city election.

The elected body that controls local taxes, provides emergency services, maintains streets and parks, plows snow,  etc only less than 1 out of 10 residents get involved to the point of voting.  How many show up at council and/or council committee meetings?  Usually the number can be counted on the fingers of one hand, if that many.

Disgusting.

Tonight's the Night

Apologies to Rod Stewart....................but.............tonight's the night.

Yepper, the Shawnee budget hearing is tonight.

Will you be there to see how the city uses your money?
Will you be there to tell them what you agree with?
Will you be there to tell them what you disagree with?

Are  you interested in seeing and hearing how tens of millions of your dollars are being spent?

Coming to a City Hall Near You

Monday, 7/25/11 coming to the Shawnee City Hall will be the public hearing for the 2012 budget.

Come see how the city spends your money.
Come speak on the items you agree with.
Come speak on the items you disagree with.
Come take part in the governmental process that has the most effect on your daily lives.

Budget Public Hearing - Mon 7/25/11

This coming Monday the Shawnee City Council will hold a public hearing on the amended 2011 budget and on the 2012 budget.  The council meeting starts at 7:30PM.

As stated on numerous occasions it is amazing how little interest Shawnee citizens take in local government.  Yet it is local government that has the most effect on our daily lives.

There are numerous items in the proposed 2012 budget that folks need to look at, among them:

Economic development vs street maintenance
A proposed volunteer program with a proposed paid coordinator
City contributions to various organizations

It would be nice for folks to turn out, listen, and even comment.  And, see and hear how your elected representatives vote on these issues.

Upcoming Public Hearings

Public Hearings at the City Council are very important events. They are one of the major ways that citizens can voice their approval or disapproval regarding items that the council will be voting on.

Unfortunately, most folks in Shawnee do not get involved at these hearings. They just wait until after the fact to ask "How did that happen?" or "Why didn't that happen?"

OK...here are the two that are coming up:

Budget Hearing: This will be on Monday, 7/25/11, at 7:30PM. Both the amended 2011 budget and the proposed 2012 budget will be voted on by the council. Get involved with how your money is being spent.

Community Improvement District: This will be on Monday, 8/8/11, at 7:30PM. The ownership of the 10 Quivira Plaza Shopping Center (Quivira Rd and Shawnee Mission Parkway) have applied for the property to be designated a CID. This would involve the ownership investing funds for upgrades and the levying of an additional 1/2 cent sales tax for part of the upgrades, applicable only to the shops in that center.

What happens at these hearings will have a definite impact on Shawnee and its citizens. People need to get involved.

As we get closer to these hearings I will be posting some opinions regarding certain items.

Gotta Love Vegas

Well, ya gotta love it.

On 5/22/11 (see below) I commented on the Global Retail Real Estate Convention. It was indicated that four people were going to represent the city: the executive director of the SEDC, the city's development director, the city manager and one city council person.

It was mentioned that in my opinion we only needed to send the first two individuals and the other two could have stayed home.

So let's see what the impact was for sending City Manager Gonzales and Council Member Kuhn.

Gonzales expense report: $1,816.34
Kuhn expense report: $1,637.64

Total $3,453.98

And since they both went, why couldn't they "double up" in their hotel room? Most private businesses are requiring that now.

And last, but not least. Apparently Dawn Kuhn uses the travel to Vegas (just like last year) to extend her stay (this year an extra 4 days) past the convention's end. Apparently vacation time is needed. Granted, this is at no additional cost to the city, but because it is tied into the convention she doesn't have the associated transportation costs. I'm curious. She did this last year also...............now I wonder..............has she done this before then also? Maybe we need to look and see how many times she was the "chosen" one to go to Vegas.