Brownback Signs Income Tax Phase out Bill - Kansas city week in review

I'VE JUST BEEN ON VACATION FOR TWO WEEKS AND EXPECTED WHEN I CAME BACK THAT THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE WOULD STILL BE IN SESSION, STILL WRESTLING OVER TAX CUTS AND THE BUDGET. WELL, THEY ALMOST WERE. GOVERNOR BROWNBACK ONLY YESTERDAY SIGNING INTO LAW A GRADUAL PHASING OUT OF INCOME TAX CUTS IN THE SUNFLOWER STATE. THE SIGNATURE ACCOMPLISHMENT OF AN EXHAUSTIVE LEGISLATURE SESSION. HE SIGNED THE BILL INTO LAW AT A CONSTRUCTION SITE IN OVERLAND PARK. WE'RE ON A PATH OF GROWTH AND JOB CREATION, SO I SAY COME TO KANSAS! WHY THE CONSTRUCTION SITE IN OVERLAND PARK FOR THIS BILL SIGNINGERING -- SIGNING, BILL HELLING. WELL IT'S ALWAYS NICE TO HAVE NICE SHINY OBJECTS IN PICTURES BEHIND YOU. SAM BROWNBACK AND REPUBLICANS IN LEGISLATURE HAVE ARGUED FOR TWO YEARS THAT IT POINT OF THEIR TAX REDUCTIONS IS NOT JUST ABOUT EASING THE BURDEN ON PEOPLE BUT TO BRING JOBS, BUSINESS, DEVELOPMENT TO THE STATE. GOVERNOR BROWNBACK HAS REALLY EMPHASIZED THAT THIS YEAR. HIS ARGUMENT IS THAT BY KEEPING THE SALES TAX HIGHER THAN IT WOULD'VE OTHERWISE BEEN, BUT CONTINUING TO PHASE OUT INDIVIDUAL INCOME TAXES, YOU WILL CREATE AN ARTHUR LAUGHER LIKE GROWTH IN THE STATE OF KANSAS, AND I THINK THE SETTING WAS MEANT TO EMPHASIZE THAT. VERY WEAK THOUGH THAT INCOME TAX OCCUR, MARY SANCHEZ IN YOUR OWN NEWSPAPER WE SEE SOME PUBLIC SAFETY CUTS BEING INTRODUCED HERE IN THE STATE OF KANSAS. THIS WEEK THE DEPARTMENT OF CORRECTIONS LOOKING AT CUTTING ONE IN TEN PAROLE OFFICERS, TRIMMING BACK PRISON GUARDS, CUTTING FUNDING FOR JUVENILE DELINQUENT PROGRAMS. YET THEY CAN AFFORD TO BE CUTTING TAXES? WELL, AND YOU'LL NOTICE THERE WAS NO LITTLE LOVELY SHINY OBJECTS IN THE BACKGROUND FOR THAT SORT OF NEWS. AND THAT'S THE PROBLEM. ANYTIME YOU HAVE THESE ISSUES, AND IT'S BUDGET. IT'S FISCAL DECISIONS, YOU KNOW, THERE'S GOING TO BE A LOSS SOMEWHERE ELSE. IT'S ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL AND JUST WHAT DOES WORK OUT? YOU KNOW, YOU CUT PAROLE OFFICERS, THAT HAS AN IMPACT ON COMMUNITIES. IT'S A HARDER THING TO TRACK AND SEE. YOU CAN SEE THE BIG, SHINY NEW BUILDING, BUT THAT'S WHAT ALL HAS TO BE BALANCED OUT HERE. JUST SO THE TERMS OF THE DEBATE CAN BE CLEAR FOR US, THE BILL THE GOVERNOR SIGNED IS A NET TAX INCREASE OVER SEVERAL YEARS, LARGELY BECAUSE OF THE REINSTATE STATEMENT OF THE SALES TAX SO THE CUTS THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT, NICK AND MARY, ARE BASICALLY THE RESULT OF LAST YEAR ACTION WHICH WAS SUCH A SIGNIFICANT TAX CUT THAT OVER THE TWO-YEAR TIME FRAME, THERE IS LESS MONEY FOR GOVERNMENT. NOW ALSO AT THIS PRESS CONFERENCE THIS WEEK WHERE WE, HE'S SIGNING INTO LAW THESE INCOME TAX REDUCTIONS. HE'S ALSO TAKING A POT SHOT AT THE STATE OF MISSOURI. AND THE GOVERNOR KEVIN COLLISON, SAYING, WELL, YOU KNOW, BECAUSE WE'VE HEARD ABOUT THIS WHOLE CROSS-STATE BORDER RIVALRY BETWEEN KEVIN AND MISSOURI, KEVIN COLLISON, AND THAT, YOU KNOW, WHAT IS, YOU KNOW, KANSAS' LURING ALL OF THESE JOBS FROM MISSOURI. BUT GOVERNOR BROWNBACK SAYING OH, HEEZ HE'D -- HE'D LOVE TO NEGOTIATE WITH MISSOURI. IT'S RATHER DISINGENUOUS. YOU KNOW, THERE WAS A CONCERTED EFFORT BY SOME SIGNIFICANT CIVIC LEADERS HERE ABOUT TWO YEARS AGO THEY WROTE LETTERS TO GOVERNOR NIXON AND BROWNBACK, PLEASE LET'S DECLARE A MORATORIUM ON USING THESE INCENTIVES AND NIXON AT LEAST SAID HE WOULD BE WILLING TO ENTERTAIN THE IDEA. BROWNBACK DID NOT EVEN RESPOND TO THEIR REQUEST. NOW, APPARENTLY THERE HAS BEEN A LITTLE BIT OF PROGRESS, BUT I HAVE A HUNCH THIS SHINY BUILDING THE GOVERNOR IS STANDING IN FRONT OF IS PROBABLY BEING BUILT BECAUSE IT'S BEING BUILT FOR A COMPANY LURED FROM MISSOURI TO KANSAS, SACRIFICING AGAIN STATE INCOME TAXES. THAT'S ONE OF THE MAJOR TOOLS IS THESE COMPANIES ARE BEING ALLOWED TO KEEP THEIR STATE, THEIR EMPLOYEES' STATE INCOME TAXES, WHICH A, TAKES MONEY OUT OF THE POCKETS OF MISSOURI, B, DOES NOT GO INTO THE KANSAS TREASURY FOR ANOTHER TEN YEARS, AND VICE VERSA WHEN MISSOURI DOES IT, AND AGAIN, HAS THE EFFECT OF FORCING OTHER TAXES TO BE INCREASED, WHICH EXAMPLE THE SALES TAX GOING UP IN KANSAS, YOU KNOW, IT'S A ROBBING PETER TO PAY PAUL TYPE OF THING AND THE OTHER THING IS IT DOESN'T DO ANYTHING FOR THE MET RUPALL TAN AREA. PEOPLE DON'T BUY HOMES, THEY DON'T GET JOBS IT'S A WASH. I'M NOT SURE IF ANYONE WAS REALLY SURPRISED WHEN THE GOVERNOR SAID HE WAS WILLING TO NEGOTIATE BECAUSE HE'S MADE A CONCERTED EFFORT TO DISTANCE HIMSELF FROM THE LURING OF JOBS. HIS CONTENTION ALL ALONG HAS BEEN THESE ARE BLIND OFFERS. I DON'T EVEN KNOW ABOUT THEM. I JUST -- THEY COME IN WITHOUT MY INVOLVEMENT, AND A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE QUESTIONED AS TO HOW DEEPLY HE IS INVOLVED. THAT IS NONSENSE, AND THE GOVERNOR BEEN QUOTED SAYING HE IS USING THIS AREA AS AN EXPERIMENT FOR THE TAX POLICIES IN KANSAS. THEY LOOK -- TOPEKA LOOK AT IT AS A MAJOR ECONOMIC ENGINE FOR THE STATE OF KANSAS. THE IS FAR MORE INCOME GENERATED BY THE PEOPLE LIVING IN JOHNSON COUNTY GOING TO TOPEKA IN PROPORTION FOR THE OVERALL STATE. THEY LOOK AT JOHNSON COUNTY AS BEING, YOU KNOW, AN EXTREMELY FRUITFUL AREA FOR THEM TO TRY TO GENERATE MORE REVENUES FOR THE STATE OF KANSAS AND AS FAR AS WHAT THAT MEANS FOR THE OVERALL KANSAS CITY METROPOLITAN AREA THAT REALLY HASN'T ENTERED INTO THE DISCUSSION. ON THE OTHER SIDE OF STATE LINE, WHILE WE WERE ASKING YOU TO SIGN UP TO BECOME A MEMBER OF KCPT BY OFFERING YOU TICKETS TO SEE EVERYTHING FROM THE MOODY BLUES TO GARRISON KEILOR OVER THE LAST TWO WEEKS. MISSOURI GOVERNOR JAY NIXON VETOED THE LARGEST INCOME TAX CUT IN 90 YEARS. SPONSORED BY LEE'S SUMMIT REPUBLICAN WILL KRAUS, IT WAS DESIGNED TO ALLOW MISSOURI TO BETTER COMPETE WITH KANSAS. NOW LAWMAKERS ARE THREATENING TO OVERTURN NIXON'S VETO AT A SPECIAL SESSION IN SEPTEMBER. BUT IF THERE IS SUCH CONCERN ABOUT WHAT'S HAPPENING IN KANSAS, BILL GRADY, WHY DID GOVERNOR NIXON VETO THAT MEASURE IN THE FIRST PLACE? BECAUSE, GOVERNOR NIXON SAYS HAD HE NOT TAKEN THAT ACTION, PRISONS WOULD'VE CLOSED, EDUCATION WOULD'VE SUFFERED, SENIORS WOULD'VE PAID MORE FOR THEIR PRESCRIPTIONS, AND IT JUST, IT WASN'T NECESSARY BECAUSE MISSOURI HAS ACCORDING TO THE GOVERNOR THE LOWEST TAXES IN THE REGION COMPARED TO SURROUNDING STATES IT WASN'T NEEDED. NOW, BUSINESSES THOUGH HAVE BEEN COMPLAINING ALL ALONG THAT ALL OF THESE JOBS HAVE BEEN GOING OVER TO THE KANSAS SITE OF THE STATE LINE, KEVIN. WELL, YOU KNOW, MISSOURI HAS GOTTEN A FEW MAJOR WINS TOO. FREIGHT QUOTE, A MAJOR FIRM IS GOING TO BE MOVING INTO THEIR NEW SPACE IN, ON THE MISSOURI SIDE OF THE BORDER. THERE HAS CERTAINLY BEEN -- APPLEBEE'S CAME OVER HERE. YOU KNOW, IT'S BEEN, KANSAS HAS HAD AN EDGE, BUT AGAIN, GETTING BACK TO THE POINT, MOST DEVELOPMENT PEOPLE I TALK TO SAY THAT WHAT COMPANIES LOOK FOR THE MOST IS QUALITY OF LIFE, EDUCATION, POLICING, PARKS, THOSE KINDS OF THINGS. I WROTE A COLUMN A WHILE AGO. MINNESOTA HAS SOME OF THE HIGHEST STATE TAXES IN THE COUNTRY, AND YET BY ALL MEASURES, ITS ECONOMY IS FAR STRONGER THAN KANSAS AND MISSOURI, AND KANSAS AND MISSOURI ARE ALREADY AMONG THE LOWEST TAXED STATES. SO IT'S REALLY MOST COMPANIES, MOST PEOPLE WILL TELL YOU, YES, THAT'S ONE OF THE THINGS COMPANIES LOOK AT, BUT MOST OF ALL THEY LOOK AT EDUCATION AND THEY LOOK AT THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THE PLACES THEY WANT TO GO. SO IT'S NOT ALL ABOUT THE TAXES, MARY? NOT ALWAYS. IT WILL BE FOR SOME POLITICIANS AND THAT'S THE WAY THEY'LL SPIN IT AND YOU'LL HEAR THOSE TERMS PLAYED OUT BUT THE WAY PEOPLE LIVE IS THEY LIVE IN NEIGHBORHOODS, THEY LIVE AROUND CHURCHES, THEY LIVE IN COMMUNITIES AND THAT ARE HOW PEOPLE CHOOSE WHERE THEY LIVE. THEY MAY CRIS CROSS AROUND THE STATE LINE BUT THEY LIVE IN ONE STATE OR THE OTHER. WE HAVE A COUPLE MAJOR PLAYERS WORKING BEHIND THE SCENES IN THIS. THE KOCH BROTHERS IN WICHITA AND REX IN ST. LOUIS PUSHING IT ON THE MISSOURI SIDE. BOTH OF THEM, THIS IS NOT YOUR SMALL TIME PERSON LOOKING FOR A BREAK SO THEY CAN MOVE THEIR COMPANY. THIS IS VERY MUCH IN THEIR SELF-INTEREST TO SEE THESE TAX CUTS FOR INCOME TAX AND THEN THE BURDEN SHIFTED TO WORKING FOLKS WHO HAVE TO PAY MORE SALES TAX. WELL, THE GOVERNOR HASN'T VETOED THIS BUT REPUBLICAN LAWMAKERS IN JEFFERSON CITY ARE INCENSED BY THAT. THEY'RE LOOKING AT A SPECIAL SESSION IN SEPTEMBER IN WHICH THEY'RE LOOKING TO OVERRIDE THAT VETO IS. NOT A SPECIAL SESSION. THEY HAVE A VETO SESSION EVERY YEAR, AND THEY WILL ATTEMPT TO OVERRIDE THIS. JUST QUICKLY, THE CIVIC COUNCIL IN KANSAS CITY WROTE JAY NIXON A LETTER ASKING HIM TO VETO THE TAX CUTS, WHICH REFLECTS THE VIEWS OF THE SORT OF ESTABLISHMENT BUSINESS COMMUNITY IN KANSAS CITY, MAKING THE ARGUMENT YOU'VE HEARD HERE THAT CUTTING TAXES WOULD CUT SERVICES, AND BROADLY DISADVANTAGE THE REGION. THAT'S WHY THEY'RE INVOLVED. BUT KANSAS AND MISSOURI ARE INVOLVED, NICK, IN A FUNDAMENTAL DISCUSSION OVER HOW PEOPLE SHOULD BE TAXED. IS IT BEST TO GROW AN ECONOMY BY GIVING BUSINESSES AND CORPORATIONS BIG TAX BREAKS AND SHIFT THAT BURDEN ONTO PEOPLE THROUGH SALES, PROPERTY, AND TO SOME DEGREE EVEN INCOME, OR IS THERE, IS THE BETTER IDEA TO GIVE PEOPLE A BREAK ON THEIR -- ON THEIR INCOME SALES AND PROPERTY AND RAISE THE TAXES ON BUSINESS PRIMARILY BY CUTTING OUT TAX BREAKS, TAX CREDITS, THAT TYPE OF THING. BOTH STATES HAVE DECIDED TO GO WITH THE FIRST APPROACH OR AT LEAST THE REPUBLICANS IN BOTH STATES HAVE TRIED TO DO THAT. THAT'S WHERE JAY NIXON STANDS. THAT'S SORT OF THE MIDDLE OF THAT DEBATE SO WHAT HAPPENS IN SEPTEMBER WILL BE EXTRAORDINARILY IMPORTANT. BILL. TALKED TO SENATOR WILL CROSS THE SAME DAY THAT -- WILL KRAUSS THE SAME DAY GOVERNOR NIXON SIGNED THE VETO AND HE SAID NIXON CLAIMS THE $800 HOLE CREATED IN THE BUDGET, WOULD'VE CREATED IN THE BUDGET IS REALLY THERE IS AN INDEX. HE IS CONFIDENT THERE WILL BE AN OVERRIDE. THE POWER AND LIGHT DISTRICT IS MARKING ITS FIVE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY, BUT IT'S STILL LOSING MONEY. OPENED IN 2008, THE DOWNTOWN ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT NEXT TO SPRINT CENTER IS STILL BEING SUBSIDIZED BY CITY TAXPAYERS TO THE TUNE OF $14.3 MILLION. IF YOU HEAD DOWN THERE IT LOOKS TO BE FILLED WITH BARS, SHOPS AND RESTAURANTS, SO HOW CAN THAT BE? KEVIN? WELL, LET'S JUST SAY THE NUMBERS DID NOT WORK OUT THE WAY THEY ORIGINALLY PROMISED OBVIOUSLY, AND TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, THIS SHOULDN'T COME AS A SURPRISE. A COUPLE OF YEARS AGO WE SAT DOWN AT THE "STAR" AND IT WAS ACKNOWLEDGED THAT THIS THING IS GOING TO NEED SUBSIDIES THROUGH ITS ENTIRE LIFE. THE PROBLEM IS IT WAS SOLD AS BEING SELF-SUSTAINING BY THE TAXES THEY WOULD BE GENERATING, THEY SPENT TREMENDOUS AMOUNTS OF MONEY ARGUING STREETS, GARAGES, SEWERS THAT NEEDED TO BE UPGRADED AND REALLY WE SHOULDN'T BE HELD TO ACCOUNT BUT THE POINT WAS THE WHOLE PROJECT WAS SOLD ON THAT. THEY HAVE NOT A, IT'S GOT A LOT OF BARS AND RESTAURANTS BUT THERE IS STILL A SIGNIFICANT AMOUNT OF VACANT SPACE. THERE IS NOT A HECK OF A LOT OF RETAIL THERE. THERE ARE STILL NEVER MAJOR PARTS OF BUILDINGS THAT HAVEN'T HAD TENANTS THEY HAVE ALREADY HAD TURNOVER IN SOME SPACES SO IT'S STILL A WORK IN PROGRESS AND EVEN JUST GETTING FULLY OCCUPIED. MOST PEOPLE WILL AGREE AT CITY HALL THAT IT'S MONEY WELL SPENT, THAT IT GIVES PEOPLE A REASON TO COME DOWNTOWN, DOWNTOWN WAS ON THE ROPES, IT WOULDN'T HAVE REALLY HAD MUCH OF A CHANCE MOVING INTO THE FUTURE, AND IT'S MADE IT A BETTER PLACE FOR PEOPLE TO LIVE. THERE HAVE BEEN A COUPLE PEOPLE LIVING DOWNTOWN. THAT CONSTANTINO'S MARKET HAS BECOME A DE FACTO AREA DOWNTOWN. THE NUMBERS WERE OVERPROMISED AND THE REVENUES HAVE NOT MET IT AND THEY STILL HAVE REAL REAL ESTATE TO FILL IN THAT PLACE. SO THERE ARE OTHER INTANGIBLE BENEFITS, MARY, BEYOND JUST THESE FINANCIAL NUMBERS THAT WE'RE TALKING ABOUT HERE? WELL, IT DOES -- IT WAS A BOOST TO THE CITY IN MANY WAYS, FOR OUR DOWNTOWN TO BE REVITALIZED. THAT WAS A HUGE PORTION OF IT, AND I APPLAUD IT FOR THAT BUT IT IS AT THE VERY BEGINNING WHEN THESE AGREEMENTS WERE MADE THEY SHOULD'VE HELD CORDISH TO A LOT MORE THAN THEY DID. THERE'S ALSO BEEN PROBLEMS FOR NUMEROUS RESTAURANTS THERE IN HANDLING THEIR LEASES, AND THAT   HAS UNDERCUT SOME OF THESE RESTAURANTS' ABILITIES TO REALLY SET GROUND IN AND BUILD THEIR CLIENTELE. I PERSONALLY THINK THERE ARE WAY TOO MANY LITTLE BITTY BOUTIQUE SHOPS AND YOU WONDER HOW IN THE HECK COULD THEY POSSIBLY BE TURNING A PROFIT. I MEAN, THAT'S MANAGEMENT OF WHO IS GOING IN THERE AND HOW THOSE LEASES ARE MANAGED. AND THAT ALL DOES PLAY OUT IN THE MONEY OF WHERE IT COMES DOWN THE LINE. AND THE THING IS, AS MARY POINTS OUT, CORDISH NEGOTIATED A DEAL IN WHICH ANY OF THEIR LOSSES ARE GOING TO BE SUBSIDIZED BY THE CITY OF KANSAS CITY, SO YEAH, YOU KNOW, DO THEY HAVE A RATIONAL -- DO THEY HAVE A MOTIVATION TO FILL THE SPACE? YES, BUT ARE THEY SUBJECT TO THE SAME KINDS OF DIFFICULTIES IF THEY DON'T FILL THAT SPACE? NO, BECAUSE THEY GOT TO BACKDROP CALLED THE CITY HALL. AND THE SPIN ON IT, THE CITY SEEMS TO BE TAKING BUT WHEN AND IT'S BUT WHEN THE STREETCAR IS BUILT, BUT WHEN WE GET THE TWO NEW APARTMENT BUILDINGS DOWNTOWN, BUT WHEN WE GET A CONVENTION CENTER HOTEL, THIS WILL ALL GO AWAY. BUT THERE'S SKEPTICISM THOUGH ABOUT ALL CITY PROJECTS, DAVE. WELL, IT'S THE CLASSIC EXAMPLE OF WHAT I JUST TALKED ABOUT, WHICH IS THE THEORY HERE WAS LET'S GIVE A TAX BREAK TO CORDISH OR RATHER GIVE BENEFITS TO CORDISH. THEY WILL BUILD IT AND EVERYONE WILL BE HAPPY. NO ONE STOPPED TO SAY, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT IF WE GAVE THAT $15 MILLION A YEAR BACK TO THE PEOPLE? AND LET THEM SPEND IT. MAYBE THAT'S THE WAY TO GROW THE ECONOMY. BUT IN THIS AREA, IN KANSAS, MISSOURI, AND KANSAS, CITY, WE HAVE INCENTED BUSINESSES FOR DECADES WITHOUT ANYONE SORT OF STANDING UP FOR THE OTHER SIDE OF THE EQUATION, AND IN SOME WAYS WE SEE THE RESULTS OF THAT WITH THE POWER AND LIGHTS PROJECT. AFTER ALMOST A HALF A CENTURY ON THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA, THE HALLS DEPARTMENT STORE IS CLOSING ITS DOORS. WHILE WE WERE HOSTING OUR TWO WEEK MEMBERSHIP DRIVE, HALLS ANNOUNCED ITS CONSOLIDATING ITS OPERATIONS AT ITS CROWN CENTER LOCATION LEAVING THE PLAZA FOR THE FIRST TIME WITHOUT A DEPARTMENT STORE. WHY? WHAT THEY OWE -- THE THING THAT'S INTERESTING WHEN YOU TALK TO SOME OF THE WORKERS THERE AT THE PLAZA STORE WHEN THEY WERE CALLED IN FOR THEIR MEETING TO ANNOUNCE THIS TO THE WORKERS, THE WORKERS EVEN THOUGHT IT WAS GOING TO BE THE CROWN CENTER LOCATION THAT WAS CLOSING. BUT REALLY WHEN YOU LOOK AT IT, THEY OWN CROWN CENTER. THEY DON'T OWN THE SPOT DOWN ON THE PLAZA. SO IT JUST WASN'T MAKING MONEY ON THIS ECONOMY WHICH I'VE ALWAYS BEEN TOLD AND WHO KNOWS WHAT THE REAL TRUTH IS THAT NEW STORE NEVER REALLY DID THAT HAULS IS -- HALLS IS LIKE A GIFT TO KANSAS CITY, A LOVELY PACKAGE TO HAVE THAT BUT WHEN YOU ARE NOT MAKING MONEY IN THAT LARGE OF A SPACE AND HIGHWOODS CONTROLS THAT PROPERTY, YOU'RE GOING TO GO TO WHERE, YOU KNOW, YOU DON'T HAVE THAT ISSUE WITH THE LEASE. FROM WHAT I UNDERSTAND, I THINK IF THEY LOOK PURELY -- IF HALLS WAS A FRANCHISE DEPARTMENT STORE IN DECIDING WHICH STORE THEY WERE GOING TO CLOSE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY'VE KEPT THE ONE IN THE CENTER. BUT THEY OWN THE CROWN CENTER. IT'S A WAY TO REINFORCEMENT THEIR INVESTMENT IN CROWN CENTER, AND THEN AVOID THEY DON'T HAVE TO PAY THE RENT. BUT I THINK IF YOU LOOKED AT THE PURE MARKET, IF WHAT THE PEOPLE WHO SHOPPED THERE, THEY WOULD PROBABLY BE MORE APPEALING TO STAY IN THE PLAZA BUT AGAIN THEY DON'T OWN THAT REAL ESTATE AND THEY WANT TO REINFORCE THE HUGE INVESTMENT THEY'VE GOT IN CROWN CENTER. BECAUSE YOU THINK ABOUT CROWN CENTER JUST EVEN LIKE FIVE YEARS AGO, CROWN CENTER HAD A LOT OF VACANCIES. AND YOU THINK, WOW, -- THIRD FLOOR AREA OF THE SHOPPING CENTER HAS ALWAYS STRUGGLED TOO, AND THAT'S WHERE -- THE WAY WE BUY GOODS IN THE COUNTRY IS CHANGING DRAMATICALLY, THE INTERNET IS BLOWING UP THAT WHOLE MOD. I MODELM I THINK YOU WILL SEE TE IDEA OF STAND ALONE STORES LIKE HALLS OR ANY BIG DEPARTMENT STORE IS REALLY GOING TO BE UNDER PRESSURE. PEOPLE BUY CLOTHES AND OTHER GOODS ONLINE. I CAN MAYBE THIS WAS A FORWARD LOOKING STEP AS MUCH AS IT WAS A REACTION TO THE SPECIFIC -- BILL, DO YOU HAVE THE SCOOP ON WHAT'S GOING TO ACTUALLY TAKE THE PLACE OF HALLS ON THE COUNTRY CLUB PLAZA? I DON'T. THAT WOULD BE A KEVIN QUESTION. IT'S AN ATTRACTIVE PROPERTY. I MEAN, LOOK AT WHAT HIGHWOODS DID WITH THE OLD SAK'S DEPARTMENT STORE. THEY BASICALLY CONVERTED THE UPPER FLOORS INTO OFFICE SPACE AND THEY LOCATED SEVERAL BOUTIQUE TYPE STORES ON THE GROUND LEVEL. THEY COULD EASILY DO THE SAME THING WITH THE HALLS STORES AND ONE THING MY COLLEAGUE JOYCE SMITH POINTED OUT, THE SECOND LEVEL OF THAT HALLS STORE ORIGINALLY WAS A GARAGE AREA, AND THEY ONLY PUT THE RETAIL IN IN RECENT YEARS SO THERE'S SOME FLEXIBILITY THERE, AND ACTUALLY WHEN YOU GO TO THE PLAZA THESE DAYS, YOU KNOW, HIGHWOODS GOT BEAT UP AND RIGHTFULLY SO FOR SOME OF THEIR OFFICE BUILDING IDEAS, BUT I THINK OVERALL THEY'VE DONE A PRETTY GOOD JOB OF BRINGING IN RETAIL AND RESTAURANTS DOWNTOWN. THE BLOOMINGDALE'S IS COMING INTO THAT AREA. I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT. SORRY, BILL, YOU WERE GOING TO SAY SOMETHING. IT WILL ATTRACT A DIFFERENT CLIENTELE AT THE CROWN CENTER BECAUSE THERE'S MORE OF A TOURIST ELEMENT NOW ESPECIALLY WITH LEGO LAND AND THE AQUARIUM. YOUNGER CHILDREN DEMOGRAPHIC. IT'S SKEWING TOWARDS YOUNGER DEMOGRAPHIC WITH FOREVER 21 AND H&M AND SOME OF THOSE PLACES THAT ARE NOT YOUR REAL HALLS CLIENTELE. I WANT TO TALK ABOUT ANOTHER DEVELOPMENT PROJECT IN OUR METRO THAT'S BEEN GRABBING THE HEADLINES AND THAT'S THE SCHLITTERBAHN WATERPARK WHICH OPENED FOUR YEARS AGO. ACCORDING TO THE "STAR," THERE'S STILL A LOT OF BARREN LAND INSTEAD OF SHOPS AND TREE HOUSES AROUND THE PERIMETER OF SCHLITTERBAHN NEXT TO THE LEGENDS IN WYANDOTTE COUNTY, A PROJECT THAT BY NOW WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A $750 MILLION VACATION VILLAGE. THE PLAN ORIGINALLY FORESAW MORE THAN 1,000 HOTEL ROOMS INCLUDING CABINS AND STRUCTURES BUILT TO RESEMBLE TREE HOUSES. AN ANCHOR TENANT WAS TO BE A SCHEELS SPORTING GOODS MEGASTORE WITH A 65-FOOT FERRIS WHEEL. SCHEELS IS NOW BUILDING NEAR 135TH STREET AND METCALF IN OVERLAND PARK. WHAT HAPPENED? WHY DIDN'T THEY BUILD THERE IF THAT'S SUCH AN ATTRACTIVE AREA? NICK, THE WESTERN WYANDOTTE AREA HAS BEEN ATTRACTIVE WITH THE WESTERN FURNITURE MART, LEGENDS, CABELLA'S, AT SOME POINT YOU RUN OUT OF GAS, AND THESE GUYS -- SERIOUSLY, WHEN THEY, TO BE HONEST WITH YOU, WHEN SCHLITTERBAHN FIRST ANNOUNCED THIS DEAL, I WAS EXTREMELY SKEPTICAL. I MEAN, HOW MUCH MORE RETAIL, HOTELS, ET CETERA, CAN YOU POUR INTO THAT AREA. AND IT'S BEEN AN AMAZING STORE STORY THEN WE HIT THE RECESSION WHICH EVEN MORE COMPLICATES IT BUT I THINK IT WAS ALWAYS OVERESTIMATED WHAT THEY CAN DO OUT THERE. THANK GOD IT'S BEEN DEVELOPED BY A PRIVATE FAMILY, ALTHOUGH ENTERTAINMENT PROPERTIES HAS A MAJOR INVESTMENT WHICH IS A LOCAL FIRM IN THEIR OWN. IT'S LIKE MY GOD HOW MUCH MORE RETAIL CAN YOU BUILD AND THEN WE HIT A RECESSION. MY JOB IS TO CONNECT THE DOTS HERE,. OF COURSE IT IS. AND WHAT DO THE PROJECTS AROUND SCHLITTERBAHN HAVE IN COMMON WITH THE PLAZA WHICH WE JUST TALKED ABOUT? CROWN CENTER, POWER AND LIGHT, AND THAT IS ALL OF THEM RECEIVED MAJOR TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES. THE LEGENDS PROJECT, THE PLAZA GOT A QUARTER OF A BILLION DOLLARS IN TAX BREAKS. CROWN CENTER WAS BUILT BECAUSE OF TAX ABATEMENTS, AND POWER AND LIGHT. SOMETIMES THEY WORK, SOMETIMES THEY DON'T. THAT'S WHAT LAWMAKERS NEVER TELL YOU, THAT SOMETIMES IT'S A GOOD DEAL. SOMETIMES IT MAY NOT BE A GOOD DEAL ON THE OTHER SIDE, AND I THINK SCHLITTERBAHN IS THE EXAMPLE OF THE LATTER. ALTHOUGH, ON THE OTHER HAND, SCHLITTERBAHN WAS DEVELOPED PRIVATELY THE, THE TAX BREAKS WERE GOING TO COME IN FOR THE RETAIL AND HOTEL STUFF BUT -- I'M TALKING ABOUT THE -- I UNDERSTAND, YES IS MISSION KANSAS ON A MISSION TO TICKET EVERYBODY? A FRONT PAGE STORY IN THE "KANSAS CITY STAR" THIS WEEK CALLED MISSION, KANSAS, THE TICKET CAPITAL OF KANSAS, WITH POLICE ISSUING MORE TICKETS THAN THERE ARE RESIDENTS. THAT AMOUNTS TO ALMOST TWO TICKETS AN HOUR, 24 HOURS A DAY. THAT MEANS YOU ARE NINE TIMES MORE LIKELY TO BE TICKETED IN MISSION THAN IN OVERLAND PARK. EIGHTEEN TIMES MORE LIKELY THAN IF YOU HAPPENED TO BE DRIVING THROUGH LEE'S SUMMIT. IS THIS REALLY ABOUT SAFETY AS THEY CLAIM? I SERIOUSLY DOUBT THAT. YOU KNOW, MISSION, THEY ARE BLESSED IN MANY WAYS TO HAVE A LOWER CRIME RATE AND NOT SOME OF THE ISSUES SO THAT THEY CAN LITERALLY HAVE THEIR POLICE FORCE GOING OUT -- THE ENTIRE POLICE FORCE, WRITING TICKETS. I MEAN, IN KANSAS CITY, YOU HAVE A CERTAIN NUMBER OF THE OFFICERS THAT THAT'S WHAT THEY HANDLE AND EVERYONE ELSE HAS TO DEAL WITH MORE SERIOUS CRIMES. MISSION DOESN'T HAVE THAT. SO THEY'RE OUT THERE DOING THIS. IT'S GENERATING MONEY BUT YOU ALMOST WONDER IF SOME OF IT ISN'T SELF-FULFILLING PROPHECY BECAUSE THEY'RE WRITING SO MANY TICKETS TO GENERATE MONEY TO PAY FOR SERVICES AND THE OFFICERS TO WRITE ALL THE TICKETS. MAYBE ONCE THE GATEWAY PROJECT OPENS UP THEY WON'T HAVE NEARLY AS MUCH PRESSURE TO WRITE TICKETS. I LIVE IN NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTY, AND I TELL YOU, I SEE POLICE CRUISERS CONSTANTLY, MANY OF THEM AGAIN LIKE MARY POINTS OUT, YOU KNOW, THANK GOD, THE CRIME RATE'S NOT BAD THEY GOT A LOT OF TIME TO PULL PEOPLE OVER. I APPLAUD KAREN DYLAN FOR A GREAT STORY THOUGH JUST VIVIDLY DISPLAYING HOW MANY TICKETS GET ISSUED IN MISSION. BILL, NOW, THE MAYOR CAME TO KMBC THIS WEEK TO GIVE US A LITTLE MORE INSIGHT INTO THIS. SHE SAID IT'S ALL ABOUT PUBLIC SAFETY. THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT GENERATING REVENUE, AND -- THEY DID HAVE ONE OF THE HIGHEST TRAFFIC ACCIDENT RATES IN THE STATE OF KANSAS BEFORE THE CURRENT POLICE CHIEF CAME INTO OFFICE THERE. AND SO THEY WERE WORRIED ABOUT THAT. WASN'T THAT THE CASE? THAT WAS THE CASE, AND ONE THING PEOPLE MAY OVERLOOK FROM TIME TO TIME IS THAT MISSION DOES GET A LOT OF CROSS-COUNTY, CROSS-CITY TRAFFIC. FROM KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI, INTO JOHNSON COUNTY, VICA VERSA BUT I TALKED TO A TRAFFIC LAWYER YESTERDAY, AND HE SAID AMONG THE TRADE IT'S BEEN KNOWN MISSION IS A SPEED TRAP. NOW, IT'S INTERESTING, MISSION THOUGH IT DOES GET A LOT -- IS GETTING A LOT OF HEADLINES FOR A LOT OF DIFFERENT QUIRKY KINDS OF POLICIES, EVERYTHING FROM THE DRIVEWAY TAX OF LATE, WE ALSO HAVE THEY WERE GOING TO BE THE ONLY CITY IN THE ENTIRE METRO TO UNILATERALLY DO A CELL PHONE BAN WHILE DRIVING. AND DAVE HELLING ACTUALLY IN THIS MORNING'S NEWSPAPER, YOU WERE TALKING ABOUT A POTENTIAL CONSOLIDATION WITH THE CITY OF ROLAND PARK. I WAS TRYING TO MAKE A POINT. I KNOW YOU WERE. WHAT TYPE OF REACTION DID YOU GET FROM THAT POINT? A LOT OF PEOPLE HAVE WRITTEN THAT WOULD BE A GREAT IDEA THAT WOULD NEVER HAPPEN WHICH HAPPENS A LOT IN THE KANSAS CITY AREA. MISSION HAS ALSO HAD A CONTROVERSY OVER REDEVELOPMENT ALONG JOHNSON DRIVE. THERE IS A BIG FIGHT OVER THAT. THE GATEWAY PROJECT THAT KEVIN MENTIONED IS OF COURSE WHERE THE WAL-MART IS GOING. THAT BY THE WAY IS ALSO GETTING TAXPAYER SUBSIDIES. I JUST THOUGHT I'D THROW THAT IN. AND SO THERE IS SOME DISAGREEMENT ABOUT WHETHER OR NOT ROLAND PARK NOW WILL HAVE TO SORT OF REACT TO WHAT MISSION HAS DONE AND WHETHER THAT'S FAIR AND WHAT I WAS TRYING TO SUGGEST TODAY IS THE BIGGER PROBLEM IS WE HAVE A LOT OF LITTLE MUNICIPALITIES. THAT'S INEFFICIENT BY DEFINITION. PERHAPS WE SHOULD CONSIDER THAT INEFFICIENCY RATHER THAN WHERE THE WAL-MART GOES. MY ONLY COMPLAINT ABOUT HE DIDN'T GO FAR ENOUGH I THINK PRAIRIE VILLAGE, MISSION HILLS, ALL THOSE SMALLER NORTHEAST JOHNSON COUNTIES, THEY'RE VERY SIMILAR, AND I CAN'T SEE A REAL REASON FOR THEM TO HAVE SEPARATE CITY GOVERNMENTS AND POLICE DEPARTMENTS AND ALL THE REST OF IT. THERE'S BEEN CONSOLIDATIONS WITH PUBLIC SAFETY WITH THE FIRE DEPARTMENTS, ET CETERA, BUT AGAIN, YOU TRY TO START SERIOUSLY DISSOLVING SOME OF THE POLITICAL BOUNDARIES, AND ALL HELL BREAKS LOOSE. YEAH. FINALLY THIS WEEK, THE CHANCELLOR OF MU DEPARTS. IT'S FRONT PAGE NEWS THIS WEEK AS BRADY DEATON THE HEAD OF THE UNIVERSITY OF MISSOURI STEPS DOWN AFTER NINE YEARS ON THE JOB. WHY IS HE LEAVING? HE HAS OTHER THINGS TO DO, I GUESS. IT'S TIME TO QUIT. HE'S 71. WHAT'S FASCINATING TO ME ABOUT THE STORY, OF ALL OF THE THINGS IN THAT, ALMOST EVERY SINGLE ACCOMPLISHMENT HE HAD WAS SPORTS RELATED. IS THAT THE BAROMETER OF A SUCCESS IN A CHANCELLOR? I THINK WE -- YOU CAN BLAME THE MEDIA ON THIS ONE, HEAVILY COVER THOSE ISSUES BECAUSE PEOPLE ARE OBVIOUSLY ALIGNED WITH MU TIGER FOOTBALL DECISION BUT THIS CHANCELLOR WAS VERY, VERY INVOLVED IN MANY OTHER ASPECTS OF THE BROADER UNIVERSITY. THAT JUST DON'T GENERALLY TEND TO MAKE THE FRONT PAGE QUITE AS OFTEN. WE NEED TO KEEP OUR EYE ON POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION, NICK. THE KANSAS LEGISLATURE CUT FUNDING FOR HIGHER ED, TUITIONS ARE GOING UP. THERE WILL BE ENORMOUS PRECON-- PRESSURE ON THE MISSOURI SYSTEM FOR WHOEVER THE NEXT PRESIDENT IS TO ADDRESS WHAT I THINK IS THE NEXT BIG TARGET OF LAWMAKERS WHICH WILL BE COLLEGE AND UNIVERSITY EDUCATION. SO NOT JUST LEAVING THE BIG 12 IS SOMETHING ELSE WE NEED TO BE CONCERNED ABOUT. DOWN THE ROAD -- THE MOM AND POP ARE GOING -- [TALKING OVER EACH OTHER] THAT IS OUR THREE WEEKS IN REVIEW ON "KANSAS CITY WEEK IN REVIEW." THANKS TO OUR NEWS REVIEWERS FROM THE KANSAS CITY STAR. MARY SANCHEZ AND KEVIN COLLISON, "STAR" REPORTER, BLOGGER AND COLUMNIST DAVE HELLING, AND FROM NEWSRADIO 98 ONE FM BILL GRADY. I'M NICK HAINES, FROM ALL OF US HERE AT KCPT, THANKS FOR SPENDING PART OF YOUR WEEKEND WITH US. [MUSIC]