The City Council of Wichita just approved a plan to give $100 million to a new development scheme called “Project Downtown.”
According to The Wichita Eagle, Mayor Carl Brewer said the plan provides a path to a vibrant downtown, which is needed to make Wichita more competitive in attracting businesses.
Also The Wichita Eagle wrote;
“According to the plan put together by Boston-based consultant Goody Clancy, there is a potential market demand of $500 million in projects from private investors. An additional $100 million would be in public money, projected to be spent on such public-use areas as parking garages, parks and street landscaping….
"We wouldn't be out in front of the private sector," Fluhr said. "Market demand is driving the plan."
It may be market driven, but it is being financed with taxpayer’s money. The city has other problems, such as homelessness, lack of decent paying jobs and they keep voting to destroy historical buildings to put in parking lots.
That money would be better spent on Wichita’s infrastructure rather than to keep putting up pink elephants such as the Intrust Bank Arena.
Since Republicans have complained about public money going to bailouts of large corporations, they should take note of the money being taken from Wichita’s taxpayers and going to large businesses in the name of downtown development.
Photo from Bollywood News.
No comments:
Post a Comment