Kudo's to Collison for table on subsidies

[knucklehead]

The print version of today's Star article on Legoland includes a good table that shows the total cost and the public subsidy for seven recent projects. (Bass Pro Independence, Power & Light, Blue Ridge Mall Walmart, Legoland, Kansas Speedway, Schitzegal (sp?) waterpark and Legands.

As a CPA I love to see tables of this type. Tables are a very good way to pack a lot of information into a small space. It is interesting to compare the level of public subsidy on the various projects. The Legoland proposal is totally out of wack. Kansas Speedway was a good deal, but legands is very heavily subsidized for a greenfield project. The subsidizes for the water park are obscene. Same for the blue ridge mall wally world (although a much smaller scale).

the Bass pro subsidy also is high, but may be partially explained by the extreme topograhy of the site.

The next table I would like to see Collison do is a table on the 2007 budget for Union Station. I would like to see about a 10 or 12 line table showing Union Station's budgeted revenues and expenses by major category. That would cut thorugh a lot of the reporter's spin you get in most articles and really help the public understand the financial needs and potential of Union Station.

I don't need attitude from my newspaper, I need basic information.

[BVC]

I don't need attitude from my newspaper

Or NY Times style of crafting the news or creating it by having people play dead in some shots and performing clean-up duties in others.  Just the facts, man.

[aknowledgeableperson]

And why not do a tally on the subsidies given for all of the DT development that is happening? 

[Tosspot]

Downtown has more long term viability than the suburban Wal-Mart TIFs that piss money down the drain. It's called Return on Investment.

But yes, all subsidies should be tallied.

[aknowledgeableperson]

It will be quite interesting to see 25 years from now.  DT could be in for a fall if the next generation of 20 and 30 somethings do not like city living and empty nesters want some greenery and space.

[chrizow]

um....k.  i guess we'll wait and see.  a lot can happen in 25 years. 

it will be quite interesting to see the suburbs 25 years from now.  the suburbs could be in for a fall if the next generation of 20 and 30 somethings have to pay $6/gallon for gas and if empty nesters want to be close to things that are interesting. 

[voltopt]

It will be quite interesting to see 25 years from now.  DT could be in for a fall if the next generation of 20 and 30 somethings do not like city living and empty nesters want some greenery and space.

there is still ALOT of greenery AND space in inner city kansas city.

[shinatoo]

um....k.  i guess we'll wait and see.  a lot can happen in 25 years. 

it will be quite interesting to see the suburbs 25 years from now.  the suburbs could be in for a fall if the next generation of 20 and 30 somethings have to pay $6/gallon for gas and if empty nesters want to be close to things that are interesting. 

I don't see cars running on fossil fuels in 25 years. It will be much more expensive to change the built enviroment of the American suburb than it will to develop alternate fuel vehicles.

Think soy.

[Tosspot]

I don't see cars running on fossil fuels in 25 years. It will be much more expensive to change the built enviroment of the American suburb than it will to develop alternate fuel vehicles.

Think soy.

Or the built environment of the American suburb just becomes a woebegone slum in a grand comeuppance frought with the negative Karmatic legacy derived from deracinating the urban center in the first place. That's probably more likely to happen than the advent of some magical alternative energy to keep suburbia's easy motoring infrastructure in business over the long-haul.

[shinatoo]

Or the built environment of the American suburb just becomes a woebegone slum in a grand comeuppance frought with the negative Karmatic legacy derived from deracinating the urban center in the first place. That's probably more likely to happen than the advent of some magical alternative energy to keep suburbia's easy motoring infrastructure in business over the long-haul.

I think we will see something inbetween those two.

Alternate fuel, resurgance of urban cores and more public transport.

On a side note, George Orwell would puke on his shoes if he read one of your post. Entertaining as they might be.

[aknowledgeableperson]

um....k.  i guess we'll wait and see.  a lot can happen in 25 years. 

it will be quite interesting to see the suburbs 25 years from now.  the suburbs could be in for a fall if the next generation of 20 and 30 somethings have to pay $6/gallon for gas and if empty nesters want to be close to things that are interesting. 

It is a funny thing about prices.  Many years ago some predicted doom if a gallon of gas sold for $2.00.  Doom if a loaf of bread sold for $1.00.  And on and on.  When I use to sack groceries as a young 'un a family of four could get a week's of foodstuff in 3 to 4 sacks for $25.00.  Now it could take more than $25 to fill one sack.  On the other hand 20 years ago I purchased a 25 inch console TV and a stereo VCR and spent close to $900.00.  Now it would be around $200 (no console TV but still a TV and one probably better now than the one purchased then - same for the VCR).

25 years from now gasoline may not be needed, or the demand not as great as now.  Other, cheaper energy sources may be used to power the auto.  Don't under estimate the resourcefullness of the human race.