Funk's Front Porch

Response to Firefighters

At my most recent town hall meeting, a number of city firefighters showed up holding signs of protest in response to what I said in my State of the City Address about the city's pension systems. I respect their right to demonstrate. However, I would like to respond.

Many of the firefighters' signs said, in essence, "Don't raid the pension fund." I'm not proposing to raid the pension fund. In fact, I've fought for the city to fully fund its pensions. In recent years, city leaders have not fully funded the pension system. This was the case in this year's submitted budget, and I pushed to change that.

Also, I believe that if you were hired under a certain pension system, you ought to keep that system. the city should not break promises or agreements. But going forward, with regards to the new employees, I want to discuss different options, ones that are more in line with standard business practices.

- Mayor Funkhouser

Bombardier Aerospace

I strongly support the current proposal to use economic development incentives to assist Montreal-based Bombardier Aerospace with its relocation to Kansas City.

The project would be completed using a "Mega-Project" provision of the state's Enhanced Enterprise Zone legislation. These amendments to the previous law are currently being debated in Jefferson City.

According to the Missouri Economic Development Council

The [proposed legislation] define[s] a "mega-project" as any manufacturing or assembling facility, approved by the Department of Economic Development (DED) for construction and operation within an enhanced enterprise zone, which satisfies the following:

1. The new capital investment is projected to exceed $300 million over a period of eight years from the date of approval by the department;
2. The number of new jobs is projected to exceed 1,000 over a period of eight years beginning on the date of approval by the department;
3. The average wage of new jobs to be created shall exceed the county average wage;
4. The taxpayer shall offer health insurance to all new jobs and pay at least 50% of such insurance premiums;
5. An acceptable plan of repayment, to the state, of the tax credits provided for the mega-project has been provided by the taxpayer;
6. The taxpayer's project is financially sound and the taxpayer has adequately demonstrated an ability to successfully undertake and complete the mega-project;
7. The taxpayer's plan of repayment, to the state, of the amount of tax credits provided is reasonable and sound;
8. The taxpayer's mega-project will create new jobs that were not jobs previously performed by employees of the taxpayer or a related taxpayer in Missouri;
9. Awarding the credit will result in an overall positive net fiscal impact to the state;
10. Local taxing entities are providing a significant level of incentives for the mega-project relative to the projected new local tax revenues created by the mega-project;
11. There is at least one other state or foreign country that the taxpayer verifies is being considered for the project, and receiving mega-project tax credits is a major factor in the taxpayer's decision to go forward with the project and not receiving the credit will result in the applicant not creating new jobs in Missouri;
12. The mega-project will be located in an enhanced enterprise zone which constitutes an economic or social liability and a detriment to the public health, safety, morals, or welfare in its present condition and use;
13. The completion of the mega-project will serve an essential public municipal purpose by creating a substantial number of new jobs for citizens, increasing their purchasing power, improving their living conditions, and relieving the demand for unemployment and welfare assistance thereby promoting the economic development of the enhanced enterprise zone, the municipality, and the state; and
14. The creation of new jobs will assist the state in providing the services needed to protect the health, safety, and social and economic well-being of the citizens of the state.

The Bombardier project fits these criteria, and it would be enormously beneficial to the state. It would create over 2,100 new jobs -- high-paying manufacturing jobs. These would provide opportunities future generations of Missourians.

This would also be a low-risk investment for the state. The proposed "Mega-Project" legislation offers tax credits which diminish over time as the company grows.

                     

If approved by DED, the employer in the mega project would be allowed up to $40 million in income tax credits. The total amount of credits that may be issued annually is also $40 million. The maximum percentage of actual new payroll of the mega-project employer that may be approved is:

• 80% for the first three years that tax credits will be issued for the mega-project;
• 60% for the next two subsequent years;
• 50% for the next two subsequent years;
• 30% for the next two subsequent years; and
• 25% for all subsequent years.

Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Greg I want to express my gratitude to the state leaders who have supported this project during the early stages, including Governor Blunt, Lt. Governor Kinder, Missouri Department of Economic Development Director Greg Steinhoff, Rep. Tim Flook and Senate Majority Floor Leader Charlie Shields.

This is a very important project for Kansas City. We stand ready to do whatever it takes to make it happen.

In an article that ran in yesterday’s newspaper, I was described as a mayor who is “definitely representing the Northland,” the implication being that I’m not representing the other parts of the city.

I take issue with that assessment.

What motivates me is the opportunity to improve quality-of-life conditions in the entire city – especially those areas of the city that are least well-off, that have been the most neglected.

In fact, sometimes Gloria and I drive around the urban core, criss-crossing back and forth on side streets so that I can better understand this city’s needs and so that I can be reminded of why I chose to run for office and what needs to be done.

And on a deeper level, I take issue with the notion of “representing the Northland.”

I realize that there are many factions in our city. Of course there will be disagreement in a community as diverse as ours. But it’s important to remember that all of our issues are interconnected and interdependent.

In other words, folks south of the river need the Northland to thrive, and Northlanders have a vested interest in the revitalization of the urban core.

So, again, I’m motivated to improve conditions for all of us, in particular those in areas where conditions are in the greatest need of improvement.

- Mayor Funkhouser

Mayor's Position on Smoking Ban

This week the City Council will begin public deliberation on whether or not to put a smoke-free ordinance on the April ballot. Many are curious to know where I stand on the issue.

I intend to follow through on the promise I made during the campaign for mayor, and that is to honor the current ordinance, which represents a compromise that was reached after a very long and sometimes contentious period of public debate. The ordinance stipulates that the city will not enact a smoking ban until 80 percent of the municipalities in the metro area enact a similar ban.

I believe that it would be disrespectful to the process if we were to back away from the ordinance now. And I believe it would be dishonest and disingenuous if I were to break my campaign promise.

- Mayor Funkhouser

Johnson County

This afternoon, I will be heading down to Johnson County to meet with officials at the Shawnee Chamber of Commerce, the Overland Park Chamber of Commerce and Mike Copeland, Mayor of Olathe. The subject for discussion: regional light rail.

I plan to have many more meetings like this in the coming weeks, as light rail is my top priority right now.

I think that it is very important for me to go to these metro leaders' home turf. I don't want a regional transportation plan to be one that is devised in Kansas City, Missouri, and then foisted on everyone else.

What I'm working on right now is finding partners to get behind a concept: regional light rail. I'm not trying to sell a plan.

Once my fellow metro leaders are on board with the concept, then we will work together to create the plan.

This approach, I believe, takes into account the best interests of all Kansas Citians.

- Mayor Funkhouser

The University and Urban Revival

I'm reading The University and Urban Revival, by Judith Rodin. It's a fascinating book. It gives an account of Rodin's time as president of the University of Pennsylvania, when the school made a concerted effort to reach out to the surrounding community. This resulted in a wholesale revival of the West Philadelphia neighborhoods that surround the school.

On my recent trip to Seattle, I saw what kind of a positive impact a world-class institution can have on a metro area's economy. This book, on the other hand, shows how institutions of higher education can have a positive impact at the community level. It's quite inspiring.

Since becoming mayor, I have met on several occasions with leaders at UMKC and Rockhurst, which are situated on both sides of Troost in our urban core. I have found that both institutions are committed to being good urban universities.

- Mayor Funkhouser

Neighborhood Clean-up

Last Saturday, I appeared on Eric Wesson's 1590 AM radio show, "Makes Me Wanna Holla." This wasn't your usual studio affair. We gathered at 43rd and Cypress, where members of the Vineyard Neighborhood Association and Among Brothers were participating in a neighborhood clean-up.

It was a beautiful fall day, and the gorgeous mature trees of the neighborhood were putting displaying their colors gloriously. It's actually a quite lovely part of the city.

Still, touring the area, you can really see the effect of people leaving the urban core. All around us we saw vacant lots, each with curb cuts where driveways used to be and old cement staircases leading up to houses that no longer exist.

Yet I left the event with a strong feeling of hope. All around these pockets of abandonment were sturdy, well-kept homes. And there were a dozen or so people out on a crisp, Saturday morning, doing their part to make the neighborhood better. It was a pleasure to visit with Delores Jones, president of the Vineyard Neighborhood Association, Wesson and the members of Among Brothers.

Clearly, though, these folks need more help from the city. We need to do our part by helping fix the sidewalks and curbs, clearing out dangerous trees, fighting illegal dumping and devising economic develoipment incentives that bring good jobs back to the urban core.

Here are some pictures of the day from my camera phone:

Illegal dumping is a real burden on the neighborhood:

Signs of homes that no longer exist:

This looks like a country road, but it used to be a dense, city neighborhood:

- Mayor Funkhouser

How Green is Kansas City?

While I was in Seattle, I read How Green Is Your City?, by Warren Karlenzig, Chief Strategy Officer of SustainLane, an organization that helps businesses and governments adopt environmentally friendly practices. Bob Berkebile, of BNIM Architects, gave it to me. The book ranks the top 50 cities based on how green they are. I was pleasantly surprised to find that Kansas City ranks 18th.

We could rank a lot higher. In fact, with a little work, I think Kansas City could be one of the greenest cities in the nation.

We’re very strong in the areas of water quality and traffic congestion, and our ratings are respectably high in housing affordability, energy/climate change policy, energy efficient buildings and we have an economy with a low negative impact on the environment.

The areas that are holding us back our public transportation and urban sprawl.

The good news is that these issues are being addressed directly with initiatives we’ve got going now.

With the economic development and incentive policy the City Council and I unanimously passed last week, we have taken a significant step toward curbing the recent trend of offering incentives for sprawl.

And I am working very hard to build support for a regional transportation system which includes light rail.

I feel confident that in the coming years, our efforts toward making Kansas City a green city will intensify, and we will move very quickly up the rankings.

- Mayor Funkhouser

A policy, at last

Yesterday, we made history at City Hall.

On a unanimous 12-0 vote, the City Council accepted the recommendations of the Economic Development and Incentive Task Force and enacted an economic development and incentive policy -- which the city has needed for many, many years but has been unable to create.

This is an enormous accomplishment, and I want to thank the 14 citizens and six City Council members who served on the task force:

Bill Haw, Chairman
Linwood Tauheed, Vice Chair
Joe Arce
Jim Bowers
Bob Berkebile
Bernardo Ramirez
James Rice
Berta Sailor
Jeff Simon
Nancy Seelen
Paul Tyler
A. Marie Young
Lance Conley
Carol McClure
Deb Hermann
Ed Ford
Melba Curls
Beth Gottstein
Terry Riley
John Sharp

I also want to commend Deb Hermann and the other members of the Council's Finance and Audit Committee for acting on the task force's recommendations so smoothly and quickly.

This is a great day in Kansas City!

- Mayor Funkhouser

The Lessons of Being Mayor

As I continue to meet with mayors from Missouri and from Johnson and Wyandotte Counties in Kansas, I’ve been very gratified at how open and supportive they are.

I’m thankful as well for the insight they’ve offered about being a city mayor. Apparently, it’s one of those jobs where it really does take one to know one.

It’s the most challenging job I’ve ever had, bar none.

One of the consistent suggestions I’ve heard from my fellow mayors is that I continually ask myself who is setting my agenda: me or someone else.

I’m being tugged and pulled in a dozen different ways. I can’t possibly meet with all the people who are asking for my time. And the more I try, the more distracted I am from my own initiatives, from my 10 priorities.

If I’m going to make a real difference, I have to set my own agenda. I have to endeavor to meet with the people I want to see rather than the people who want to see me.

I’d liken it to a floating ice breaker, with a thick hull and a strong engine, plowing straight ahead.

That will help me deal with the other pressure I get, which is to be just like every other mayor who has come before me.

I can’t count the number of times I’ve heard either, “Every mayor has always done it this way” or “No mayor ever did it that way.”

My response is always the same. If you believe as I do that the City has been, in many respects, going in the wrong direction, of course I’m going to do things differently.

I’m not saying that Mayor Barnes was wrong or Mayor Cleaver was wrong. They both were right in a lot of ways.

But different times call for different measures, and I’ll keep plowing ahead to make this city work for regular folks.

- Mayor Funkhouser