By Gabe Bullard
Filed Friday, August 24, 2007 at 12:47 AM
The Land Assemblage Tax Credit passed the House today, but not in the form everyone wanted it. Representative Jeanette Mott Oxford proposed to amend the bill to lower the required acreage to qualify for the tax credit from 75 to 30. Speaker Rod Jetton ruled the amendment out of order, saying it was not within the boundaries set by Governor Matt Blunt for the special session.
“He told us what to legislate and that was improper,” says Oxford. “I have just been appalled by the defeat and the anti-democratic way of pushing things through the House under the current leadership.”
Oxford voted against the tax credit, saying it’s current language allows too many opportunities for exploitation.
The LATC is now in the Senate for debate. If the Senate makes any changes to the bill, it must be re-approved by the House.
“I voted for it knowing that the battle is not over,” says Representative Connie Johnson. “I voted for it knowing there’s a memo on my desk saying ‘Please be prepared to be in session next Thursday and possibly Friday.’ I voted for it knowing that it’s going to the Senate and the Senate’s going to change it. We’re going to take this up again. It’s not over.”
Johnson says she thinks the bill has room for improvement and she supports lowering the required acreage.
As she said, Representatives have been asked to be in Jefferson City next Thursday and Friday.
15 Comments:
I have a 3-4 acre plan. Some purchased, some LRA (with Alderman support letter), some privately owned (contacted ownera and interested), inside likely the same redevelopment area, unless they draw a line down an alley. I wasn't aware of any future credit, so I started construction (rehabbing) to try to keep the interest amount down (purchases about 1 year ago). I think they will fall in the '25%other' category, and I seem to get good neighborhood feedback on the plan(just sidewalk talk). I'm willing to uphold high standards.
Do any encentives apply to them (the LRA's definitely need them), and if not, how are the '25% other developer' buildings to compete with the tax credit buildings?
8/24/2007 2:22 AM
owners... incentives...
8/24/2007 2:30 AM
You are not supposed to compete. Most small property owners are being code violated by the building division in order to stop potential inexpensive housing from being offered to the current population of North St. Louis. Projects like McKee's drive up the cost of housing, the 5 years city plan backs this type of development, The union likes it because they get to build it instead of a guy like you that may not pay dues.
8/24/2007 6:19 AM
How much did you pay for the Alderman's letter?
8/24/2007 6:20 AM
Rep. Brian Baker was the only Republican to vote NO on the economic development bill...anyone no why?
8/24/2007 8:21 AM
Yeah, Anonymous at 6:19 is right. Good homes and rising property values are bad for the Northside and for all of the city.
Also, union construction is bad because it forces people to actually be trained to build somone's home. Just because my family is going to live there doesn't mean I want it to be safe.
We must stop all progress in the Northside! Property values must not rise! We cannot have developement unless, Ald Griffin, Troupe, Carter, Davis and Rep Nasheed get their money! How can you do this to our neighborhood without paying off our "leaders"?
For shame!
8/24/2007 8:44 AM
A friend of mine worked as a union concrete labor on MeCree town. He was worked so hard and fast his back is wasted. After several years he is now getting some treatment, it was a hard slug. He is not able to work in the field anymore.
8/24/2007 8:50 AM
Please consider Alderman Jeffery Boyd
Ward 22 as a paid for elected official also.
Anyone that does not consider land-banked property as the root cause of the decline of the north side is probably tied into the current way development is done. I believe there are about 10,000 voters running the process of land reform in the city.
8/24/2007 9:00 AM
All McKee is doing is land banking. He will never pull off development in north city, and the tax credit allows him to cash out.
Slay, Hubbard and Ford-Griffin are all different parts of the political cover that McKee needs to get away with this.
8/24/2007 9:31 AM
Alderwoman Ford-Griffin was quite interested, but had little she could offer to make the LRA's budgetable. I didn't pay anyone .
8/24/2007 10:00 AM
Alderwoman Ford and her allies are my heroes and heroines for looking out for the best interests of North city residents and not allowing McKee to become richer at taxpayers expense! Power to the people!
8/24/2007 10:28 AM
"getting paid"--typical crap. kevin dickherber just said that he didn't pay to get the letter. anyone have any evidence that an alderman took a illegal bribe, got a job for someone or otherwise nefariously got in the way of a project? Did Mary one johnson, rhcda or any of the other developers bribe april ford griffin to do their projects? is there any evidence that there has been anything more than phone calls asking developers to consider minority participation? funny how the question only comes up with black politicians, and not the white boys who have using the same tired group of white contractors forever. come on you do-nothing whiners, put up or shut up!
8/24/2007 12:59 PM
Everyone Alderman gets paid under the table and if there was clear documention of it, then it would not be considered under the "Hot Damn Table". Of course a crook knows how to cover his steps and that is why they are referred to as a crook.
There are more Aldermen to add to the list, but we is going to be done about the Aldermen being dirty.
That is the question. Maybe citizens should start paying Aldermen under the table to get what they need, because a whore is a whore, is a whore, IS A ALDERMAN.
BLACK OR WHITE, IT DOES NOT MAKE A DIFFERENCE!!!!!!!!
8/24/2007 1:13 PM
April Ford needs to fix her own housing problems.
8/24/2007 7:38 PM
That got sidetracked...
I have no problem with union shops. My budgets can't afford them as is, but I'd be willing to shift if I could. Most of the subs we use are 1 man companies with induvidual liab and med insurances. They like their jobs and are proud of (and good at) what we do.
All politics aside, I just want to rehab what I can, and not get stuck in the end.
How do the 25% others do this?
I know I'm repeating, but, I was hoping for a real reply.
8/24/2007 9:21 PM
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