By Antonio D. French
Filed Thursday, August 30, 2007 at 8:21 AM
Late last night, the Missouri State Senate voted to pass House Bill 1, the economic development bill containing, among other things, the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit and the Quality Jobs Tax Credit. Labels: Blairmont, State_Senate
The vote was 25-7 with one absence.
Among those voting in favor of the bill were Senators Maida Coleman and Rita H. Days. The two announced last week they will be hosting a forum on "land assemblage and the potential impact on the community" on Monday, September 10, from 6:00-7:30 pm at Harris-Stowe State University.
They will be joined by State Representatives Esther Haywood, Juanita Head-Walton, and Robin Wright-Jones; and former State Rep Amber Boykins.
St. Louis City's other two senators, Harry Kennedy and Jeff Smith, also voted in favor of the bill, which now heads back to the House today and a conference committee possibly this afternoon.
8 Comments:
I have some ideas to out think our Elected office holders on this one.
interested in mounting a campaign to get to the root of the North side issues start talking.
8/30/2007 8:45 AM
Don, why don't you start by fixing your delipidated buildings located in the city!
8/30/2007 10:45 AM
Anonymous 10:45- You sure did call Don out and made him look foolish!HeHe!
8/30/2007 11:38 AM
Up for Sale, best offer.
However, I would hate to sell under such pressure. Earl Williams the long-time Ward 22 building inspector has been whipping me pretty good already. Paul McKee and I must be the worst property owners in the city. All the buildings I own are under code violations.
I heard paul has $35,000 in worker orders he owes the city. The city is sure they will be paid. Is Paul also under the same type of fining process We are under? Remember he is getting work done for his money we are just getting fines.
8/30/2007 11:43 AM
in fairness, Maida Coleman voted in favor of an amendment to completely remove the Distressed Areas Land Assemblage Tax Credit Act from HB1. Senators Kennedy and Smith voted against.
8/30/2007 12:12 PM
I would like to hear ideas, as to the perceived possibility of salvaging North St. Louis.
Sooner or later, we have to face the fact that we can't just hit the 'reset' button, in cases like this. I think people need to get into the area, en mass, and that's going to be tricky. Maybe a bike ride through the area, with the appropriate protection, and rest stops, refreshments along the way. Show some pathways of interest to the remaining residents. Fill the streets.
Right now, it might as well be Afghanistan. It's someplace 'over there' and out of mind. Fill the streets, and let thousands of eyes witness, take pictures, ...and a story of the actions inside the area will become a part of everyday knowledge. Let people feel that they can know what it is. Maybe then, they will question the 'easy answers'.
makla
8/30/2007 3:48 PM
If the building division was working on McKee he would have 500 buildings and letters in the code enforcement division. He would be paying, if we took my fines of $200 per building as a base an additional $100,000 dollars on top of the $35,000 thousand for board ups etc.
However, the building division is not enforcing codes on McKee. That is the root of the problem, the buildings Division is the weak link
under the control of a political appointee of the mayor.
8/30/2007 4:59 PM
I am going to role out a few ideas, on salvaging the North side. House Bill 1 gives developers the right to land bank in North St. Louis. Anyone that lives here understands the problem is the land-banked building inventory. Our crime is able to flourish because of this stage of development. This assembly of land is the first stage of a McKee type development.
I am having trouble getting to the next stage, it requires a good government. We have to skip that part.
The Senate bill when looked at as an asset can help North St. Louis
However, you have to look at Wards on the North side. When you look at ward 22 with 600 LRA buildings, it becomes clear. The trick is to work on the worst wards, 3rd, 5th, 4th, 22nd my favorite, someone else can add the others. Each of these wards have the same common issue LRA land-banked property. Each Ward would be Eligible for the Distress Credit act. All you have to do is get one local Non-Profit in each ward to put an option on 75 acres worth of land, Site control is now passed on and we have a workable plan to deal with
each Ward on the North side. The alderman would lose control over the property and we can rebuild our city without payoffs to local Elected office holders.
Each set of 75 acres of former city owned sites could be legislated into the program. The Mayor or President of the board could do the necessary legislation needed on the local level. All the Board of Alderman would have to do is show up and vote right.
Conclusion: Each Ward has to deal with its own inventory of LRA buildings, when broken down to Wards lots of avenues will open to create a Housing Market that does not disrespect the community like a MeKee type of development continues to do. Also, MeKee would fine himself in competition with each ward's housing program, he may not be able to work in a competitive housing market.
8/31/2007 6:36 AM
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