Bonds, Hawthorne & Eminent Domain "Reform"

The dB provided us some info on next Monday's City Council meeting agenda; a meeting I couldn't find in the DSJ. It appears they're going to issue $4.25 million in notes to finance some of the Hawthorne work. I thought that the TDD issued the bonds themselves - I guess it's "easier" for the city to do it for them under some arcane rule or statute. I have no idea what the rules are, but they darn well ought to be getting competitive bids on everything they issue. I wish someone with the knowledge and the time would follow the money. And someone who'll speak out would run for City Council to create a race based on a real issue!

I wrote earlier about the possible future eminent domain threat to a small church on the fringe of Hawthorne. As I read the statements by business organizations and legislators, I don't think there's any real intent to reform the system. Whatever rules they change will be nothing more than eyewash; they'll basically preserve the "right" of cities to take property and give it to developers by providing lots of loopholes in their definition of "blight." I read Shannon Cooper's (R-Clinton) commentary via email and listen to David Pearce (R-Warrensburg) on KOKO, and neither has come out with a strong condemnation of diverting tax money to devlopers. Indeed, this morning Pearce talked about how great Tax Increment Financing is (that's when they take property tax money from schools, hospitals. parks and fire districts and give it a developer who promises a few new jobs).

Oh, and enjoy paying your extra tax when you shop at Wal-Mart - it's here!

In Liberty