Phase 2 streetcar to North Kansas City

[dukuboy1]

Agreed, as downtown continues to grow in residents & hopefully businesses/offices NKC is poised nicely to benefit. River is a big obstacle to divide it from downtown but in some cases it can help it maintain a suburban feel, or be “downtown lite” so to speak. Northland lagged behind for years as it is still a bedroom community. Great access to anywhere in the Metro but particularly downtown. Shame that all the major companies of KC over the years chose to go the suburban campus HQ route instead of high rise office towers downtown

[normalthings]

Ok, so no 1% earnings tax. How about the city agree to fund the streetcar expansion through NKC and to Gladstone in exchange for annexation? Monies offset by increase in earnings tax fund until paid off. I’m sure NKC councilpeople would agree as it would grow their districts. Residents would have to pay the earnings tax but would get streetcar to DT and the additional development that it brings.

PV of earnings tax from NKC is likely pretty low based on my quick Google of employment and average income. NKC is nicely set up to build off downtown development momentum without KCMO politics.

So, you're saying it wouldn't be a good deal for the city?

I don’t think it’s a particularly good deal for NKC or for KC.

[Noahfleshman]

Too bad we’re sending billions to Ukraine, those tax dollars could’ve helped here…

[Anthony_Hugo98]

Too bad we’re sending billions to Ukraine, those tax dollars could’ve helped here…

In the defense of that aspect, nearly all of the aid sent has been physical materials. Very little, if any has been actual cash. We should be more upset with the fact that $300,000,000,000 is being spent on highways this year by the feds alone…

[TheLastGentleman]

In the defense of that aspect, nearly all of the aid sent has been physical materials. Very little, if any has been actual cash. We should be more upset with the fact that $300,000,000,000 is being spent on highways this year by the feds alone…

It’s also a lot of outdated stuff we don’t “need” anyways, right?

[alejandro46]

In the defense of that aspect, nearly all of the aid sent has been physical materials. Very little, if any has been actual cash. We should be more upset with the fact that $300,000,000,000 is being spent on highways this year by the feds alone…

It’s also a lot of outdated stuff we don’t “need” anyways, right?

Some yes, other no (like HIMARS rockets). Some money is going to support the government's day to day operations and rebuild, but a large chunk is going to replenish US military stocks from things that have been donated or support other allies military procurement of US weapons to defend against further Russian aggression.

Spending on defense/foreign aid versus any infrastructure project is a choice - the "guns vs. butter dillema." The Ukrainians have nearly destroyed our biggest enemy at the cost of 5.6% of the US military budget which is a pretty good ROI compared to the trillions we have poured into Afganastan and Iraq over the last 20 years with not much to show for it. I'd rather not have some kids over there get blown up by a rocket versus be able to ride a streetcar a little bit further, if you really want to get down to basics.

The state of MO has also run a multi-billion dollar surplus and none of that is going to Ukraine, so really this is an issue of lack of state funding plus insufficient local match from too small of a taxing district. It would be nice of the feds to kick in 80% of the project cost, but I doubt any foreign aid project has materially impacted that calculation change from 40 years ago, plus the significantly higher cost of these types of projects compared to then. As I said earlier, I think this project is DOA for now until they expand the TDD/run a regional vote of some kind on it and/or get state funding for the bridge.

[taxi]

KC has been lining up the streetcars at the NKC border for a few years, with constant and continuing threats of infiltrating and taking over their downtown. All the while, NKC's leadership has been in denial, issuing liquor licenses and building permits with no regard for the welfare of small businesses south of the river. These threats must not be ignored.

[dukuboy1]

KC has been lining up the streetcars at the NKC border for a few years, with constant and continuing threats of infiltrating and taking over their downtown. All the while, NKC's leadership has been in denial, issuing liquor licenses and building permits with no regard for the welfare of small businesses south of the river. These threats must not be ignored.

Lol, best post of 2023 so far. Well played

[TheBigChuckbowski]

PV of earnings tax from NKC is likely pretty low based on my quick Google of employment and average income. NKC is nicely set up to build off downtown development momentum without KCMO politics.

So, you're saying it wouldn't be a good deal for the city?

I don’t think it’s a particularly good deal for NKC or for KC.

I don't think there's any chance NKC would possibly even consider joining KCMO for the foreseeable future. Their services are substantially better and they have more control over their city/neighborhood, all for less taxes and they get free gigabit internet. They've got an insane deal going with casino money and very little sprawl to maintain. Not sure what could possibly be offered that would make them want to give that up but I doubt the streetcar would be close to enough, especially if it goes down Burlington.

[beautyfromashes]

I don't think there's any chance NKC would possibly even consider joining KCMO for the foreseeable future. Their services are substantially better and they have more control over their city/neighborhood, all for less taxes and they get free gigabit internet. They've got an insane deal going with casino money and very little sprawl to maintain. Not sure what could possibly be offered that would make them want to give that up but I doubt the streetcar would be close to enough, especially if it goes down Burlington.

I'm likely to agree. Just thought a couple hundred million dollars for a streetcar line through their city might be the only carrot to dangle. I'd imagine as the city continues to revitalize, they will do very well, poaching businesses and development very close to the city but just outside of the cost of it.

[langosta]

$1 million in the 2023/24 Missouri budget to advance NKC study. These are real dollars from the budget that was enacted. Does not appear the where ever spent.

[Anthony_Hugo98]

$1 million in the 2023/24 Missouri budget to advance NKC study. These are real dollars from the budget that was enacted. Does not appear the where ever spent.

What more is there to study honestly? They’ve done all the work, they just need funding mechs to secure construction from the sound of it

[bspecht]

$1 million in the 2023/24 Missouri budget to advance NKC study. These are real dollars from the budget that was enacted. Does not appear the where ever spent.

What more is there to study honestly? They’ve done all the work, they just need funding mechs to secure construction from the sound of it

Environmental studies & conceptual engineering are next steps.

[TheLastGentleman]

The consultants must be rolling in it

[DaveKCMO]

The consultants must be rolling in it

True, but these are required steps for securing federal funds.