From: Henry McClure
[mailto:mcre@cox.net]
Sent: Monday, June 26, 2017 11:20 AM
To: 'Jeff Coen' <jeff@thec-team.com>
Subject: RE: WEST RIDGE MALL
Look at the world
different.
JEDO
What is economic
development?
The reason in the
start “Yes Topeka” ( I made presentations to get the sales tax passed) grow the
tax base.
Today 33% of our
sales tax comes from out of Shawnee County. They are not coming to see the
new statues on Kansas AVE. They go to Wanamaker road to shop. No matter how
hard you try to create a market downtown, Noto or 29th and
Fairlawn…..you will not compete against Wanamaker.
$7m in property tax
and sale tax comes for the Mall.
How do you help?
Put the mall on an
even playing field for economic development $$$$’s.
Hey if you give
$50K for a guy to go downtown – you have to give the same to a business guy
want to go the mall. The old chewing gum theory. “You better have brought some
for everyone”
H
Yes, Topeka! promotes sales-tax vote
Posted: Tuesday, October 24, 2000
By By MICHAEL HOOPER and MIKE HALL
The Capital-Journal
An organization that
campaigned for construction of the Signature Building in downtown Topeka has
launched a campaign to pass another economic development proposal.
The Yes, Topeka!
Committee has $120,000 in private donations and 100 volunteers campaigning for
passage Nov. 7 of the quarter-cent sales tax, which will raise $5 million
annually for economic development.
"When it passes,
I think that the city and county elected officials are going to see this as a
mandate, that the revenue from this quarter-cent sales tax will go to economic
development and countywide infrastructure, not may go, but will go," said
Sen. Alicia Salisbury, R-Topeka.
Salisbury and Dale
Cushinberry, co-chairmen of The Yes, Topeka! Committee, discussed the campaign
Monday during Mayor Joan Wagnon's news conference at city hall.
Yes, Topeka! is a
separate organization from Go Topeka, which also has been pushing for passage
of the quarter-cent sales tax.
Volunteers for Yes,
Topeka! are expected to make 50 presentations to community organizations,
churches and groups, Salisbury said.
Members of Yes,
Topeka! have sent brochures and are going to call people on the phone and solicit
support, she said.
John Pinegar, a
member of Yes, Topeka!, said the group previously worked to support passage of
a bond issue in 1998 for construction of the Signature Building and parking
garage at S.W. 10th and Jackson. The $52 million building will house state
government offices after it is finished in the spring.
Salisbury
acknowledged that some voters are uncomfortable about the ballot issue because
it isn't specific in its language.
The ballot simply
states that the revenue will go toward "countywide infrastructure
development and economic development."
George Bales, 58, a
Shawnee County resident, said he previously voted for the passage of the
quarter-cent sales tax for the Oakland Expressway but has doubts about the
latest proposal.
"I am leaning
toward voting no unless I see the city and the county show us how the funds are
accounted for and that there are some stringent rules on how the money is
spent," Bales said Monday.
Salisbury emphasized
that a yes vote on Nov. 7 will mean that the community has a can-do attitude, a
spirit of cooperation and a willingness to see growth.
"We want
business here," she said. "We want business to be successful
here."
After their
presentation during the mayor's news conference at city hall, Salisbury and
Cushinberry showed a seven-minute video being shown to local groups that
explains the need for the tax.
The city's public
affairs office will show the mayor's news conference, including the video,
several times this week on cable Channel 4.
Joe Ledbetter, a Topekan
who is urging a no vote on the sales tax question, said Monday he has asked for
equal time on Channel 4 to present the opposing viewpoint.
Wagnon was asked at
her news conference if she intended to give Ledbetter equal time.
"He was welcome
to come to this press conference," she said. "He didn't show
up."
Like I told you at the Kwik Shop I don't go out to the mall very
often or Wanamaker for that matter.
Other than understanding your issue I'm not sure there's much I
can really do to help you get people into those empty retail spaces.
Jeff Coen – Founder
The C-Team Studios, LLC
785-230-9362
On
Sat, Jun 24, 2017 at 9:51 PM -0500, "Henry McClure" <
mcre@cox.net>
wrote:
When can we meet out at the mall
