Well citizens, it was an interesting meeting in at least one area: The Elk County Revitalization Plan.
In spite of a reasonable request by at least one citizen that a 45 or 60 day public comment period be set for this plan...
AND
In spite of Commissioner Ritz' presentation of an Attorney General Opinion stating that it was unlikely the intent of lawmakers to have an entire county covered by such a plan...
AND
In spite of Commissioner Ritz pointing out that at least 4 items required by Kansas law were NOT included in the plan as presented...
AND
In spite of previously made arguments that backdating the start date for the plan to January 1, 2012 and accepting applications for a non-existent plan was patently unfair to the public at large (based largely on the public being unaware of the 'early opportunity'...
AND
In spite of complaints that the public had not been widely informed of the details in the plan in advance of today's hearing....
AND
In spite of Mr. Ritz previously ignored suggestion that this plan be tabled pending the seating of a new board of commissioners in just over a month on January 8, 2013...
Commissioners Liebau & Hendricks rushed to approve the plan allowing tax rebates to taxpayers who spend at least $20,000 in construction/improvements to real property if those changes substantially increase appraised values. Commissioner Ritz opposed the motion.
To the casual observer, it looked like the skids on this one were well greased. It will be interesting to see who ultimately takes advantage of the new tax rebate plan.
AND
it will be interesting to see the skid marks or the shorts of the two that voted for it, when the COTA ruling denies it based on legaities. (If they are made aware of circumstances)
ready
Quote from: readyaimduck on November 26, 2012, 08:09:40 PM
AND
it will be interesting to see the skid marks or the shorts of the two that voted for it, when the COTA ruling denies it based on legaities. (If they are made aware of circumstances)
ready
Or the AG, or a district court, or the appellate court... or maybe even the Kansas Supreme Court. Of course, I'm not sure the two who voted for it much care about legalities (they sure don't seem to care about the KOMA)... so there might not be any skid marks.
Well Patriot, I believe you called this one a while back. It will indeed be intetresting to see who collects. If Mama Con isn't one of them with her plan for a new building, I will be more than a little suspicious of what the heck is going on here. >:(
What difference does it make who applies as long as it is for improvement.
Quote from: proelkco on November 27, 2012, 10:46:42 AM
What difference does it make who applies as long as it is for improvement.
I agree Proelk, it seems to me it is a WinWin for everyone involved. It brings jobs to do the improvements, creates future improved values and tax revenues, and it improves properties and the attitude about Elk county. Flintoak is agood example. There were lots of jobs for locals when they developed and built it and more as they have enlarged and improved it. There are lots of jobs for people employed there the year around. It is a first class operation.
Please help me understand how that is a 'WinWin" for everybody involved.
It looks like you have a politcal victory by way of 'democracy' to take advantage of other people.
Isn't that un-American? Isn't that depriving them of their liberty for someone elses' benefit by and thru
government?
Improvement? What difference does it make? Does stealing individual liberty make any lot of difference?
Let 'em improve or build on their own property without government help.
I'm confused. How it this taking advantage of anyone?
Someone builds and/or improves upon their premises.
They get a rebate on some of their taxes - but the rest of what they owe is added to our revenue for the year.
The following year they get a smaller rebate - but the increased rest is added to our revenues.
And so forth, for 5 years (I might have the time wrong), until they pay their full taxes.
The person has improved their property, tax revenues to the county increase every year.
Who's liberty has been deprived?
QuoteThey get a rebate on some of their taxes - but the rest of what they owe is added to our revenue for the year.
The following year they get a smaller rebate - but the increased rest is added to our revenues.
And so forth, for 5 years (I might have the time wrong), until they pay their full taxes.
nope, wrong. There is no 'rebate'. Instead of paying $20 for the first year, they pay $5, then the next year, they pay $10 and so on until the term, then they pay the full $100. It is a break to get started, to create and build a business.
You won't pay anymore taxes, as what wasn't built cannot be taxed, so no revenue. At least you get SOME irevenue.
It is the backdating of a program and the people applying for this is what concerns me...and I don't live in Elk County anymore.
That is a slide into a dark side and unethical , if youi ask me, and no you didn't.
ready
I get what you call the "welfare" program.
Sometimes farmers need a break. It's the ones who take advntage of the ruling is what crpas my craw.
"One bad apple...."
ready
QuoteWhat difference does it make who applies as long as it is for improvement.
nope buddy! Has to comply with the rules of the State in the chain of acknowledgment....
works for one, but not those who try to supercede.
ready
Quote from: readyaimduck on November 27, 2012, 06:37:55 PM
It is the backdating of a program and the people applying for this is what concerns me...
ready
That and the failure to include all required elements in the plan. Taken together, it looks like a fast track to favors for somebody.
Quote from: Patriot on November 27, 2012, 06:48:35 PM
That and the failure to include all required elements in the plan. Taken together, it looks like a fast track to favors for somebody.
Pure conjecture or wishful thinking. You and Ross are the 2 most negative things to come to elk county ever.
Quote from: ELK@KC on November 27, 2012, 07:31:40 PM
Pure conjecture or wishful thinking. You and Ross are the 2 most negative things to come to elk county ever.
There we go with the fly by personal attacks again. Have you read the final plan? Have you read the applicable Kansas Statutes? Have you compared the two? Nope, not conjecture. The violation of laws is, in itself, a bad sign. Do you even care about the legal issues, or are laws just made for 'those other folks'?
Quoteor are laws just made for 'those other folks'
That, Patriot is what is to be seen....conjecture or not! It happens alot only in smaller venues.
ready
The negative things in this county are the ones who don't want any change.
Quote from: Bullwinkle on November 27, 2012, 09:42:20 PM
The negative things in this county are the ones who don't want any change.
It's not that. They do want change... but it's a negative change that will in the end cost other's money/property and their rights. To top it off, they're ideas that have been around forever and historically do not and cannot work... period. It is historical, indisputable, fact and as such they can't defend it so simply claim I'm attacking them or will attack me or will try some other left tactic instead of giving one of only two logical replies: "you're right, it won't work and it needs to stop" or "I don't care, this is what I want regardless of the facts", the latter because either A they're going to benefit from it (or think they are when they won't*) or B are too ignorant of the truth.
* A great quote on this one is "Socialism is for the people, not the socialists".
Amen!
Sorry, I must have been half asleep when I posted that. ??? Some kind of mind warp.
Quote from: ELK@KC on November 27, 2012, 07:31:40 PM
Pure conjecture or wishful thinking. You and Ross are the 2 most negative things to come to elk county ever.
Would you care to review your own negative attitude about people wanting to learn what is going on with their elected officials!
Also how about your negative attitude towards peeople and their right to free speech
Now about your negative remark, I can only answer for myself!
If you are refering to me being negative about the NGO of konnected kounty kommissioner Hendricks, know as elk konnected, llc and it's followers and their actions, I totally agree with you.
And that is a very positive thing!
The negative attitude about elk konnected, llc was perpetrated by their funky kommunity konversations and by their list on page one of this thread and the fact the followers tend to deny the list came from elk konnected, llc and was turned over to two konnected kounty kommissioners and on non-konnected County Commissioner. And this is a very positive thing to be negative about.
And the negative attitued is also perpetrated by the two konnected kounty kommissioners proposed, "Neighborhood Revitalization Program" they rushed to get approved before they lose control of our County Commissioners Board.
Who proposed this idea to the county commissioners, can you answer this simple question?
Was it the konnected kounty kommissioners NGO, elk konnected, llc?
I bet you don't dare answer those two questions, not honestly anyway.
Being negative can be a very positive thing.
Shooting someone can be avery negative thing, right?
Doesn't that depend on the full situation?
If the man being shot is about to kill someone, then couldn't the shooting be a very positive thing?
Just pointing out that a negative thing can be very good.
You sure seem to have a negative attitude going on, exceot I think you have a positive attitude that people shouldn't have freedom of speech. You rock fella!
I would like to know who applied to the neighborhood revitialization program before it was even put into play? How did they find out about it? Why would they apply to it without it being in effect? HOW could they apply for it if it wasn't on the books yet? Who told them to apply? Who approved their application? Why was the $20,000. rate set so high?
Just a few questions I would like answers to.
By the way, seems to me that if the reasoning behind this was to get people to make improvements to their property then the qualifing amount would have been set a level that more people could afford.
Quote from: Varmit on November 28, 2012, 10:12:12 PM
I would like to know who applied to the neighborhood revitialization program before it was even put into play? How did they find out about it? Why would they apply to it without it being in effect? HOW could they apply for it if it wasn't on the books yet? Who told them to apply? Who approved their application? Why was the $20,000. rate set so high?
Just a few questions I would like answers to.
By the way, seems to me that if the reasoning behind this was to get people to make improvements to their property then the qualifing amount would have been set a level that more people could afford.
Good questions, all. And all were asked and unanswered (or avoided) in commission meetings past. As for the $20,000 threshold, that was discussed at length at a commission meeting last summer. No rational was given for the amount, but Commissioner Liebau was clear that he thought the amount should have been $40,000 or $50,000... or more.
I haven't been keeping on this one well enough. Did they set some sort of requirements or specifics as to what the "requirements" actually are? For instance... can I pay sometime to "improve" my property by simply having them trim a single tree and providing a receipt stating I paid $20k for it? (then of course offering the same service for the same charge to the same person so that we both have $20k improvements to our property) :D
Quote from: mtcookson on November 28, 2012, 11:08:16 PM
I haven't been keeping on this one well enough. Did they set some sort of requirements or specifics as to what the "requirements" actually are? For instance... can I pay sometime to "improve" my property by simply having them trim a single tree and providing a receipt stating I paid $20k for it? (then of course offering the same service for the same charge to the same person so that we both have $20k improvements to our property) :D
No, it's a tad more complicated than that. The appraiser will be monitoring the projects and calculating assessments.
BTW... I see in the paper that Howard City is having hearings on a revitalization plan of their own. Interesting... it's an epidemic.
Hmm... well, "they" do tend to complain about loopholes so that does make sense.
Will have to keep an eye on the Howard deal. Last time they tried "cleaning up" I wasn't prepared and lost a lot of money. Won't happen again, that's for sure.
Quote from: mtcookson on November 28, 2012, 11:20:30 PM
Hmm... well, "they" do tend to complain about loopholes so that does make sense.
Will have to keep an eye on the Howard deal. Last time they tried "cleaning up" I wasn't prepared and lost a lot of money. Won't happen again, that's for sure.
They're moving fast... 1st Notice of Public Hearing was in the paper today. Check it out. I wonder if the city and county plans are Konnected in any way.