Property tax relief is coming to Elk County...

[Patriot]

Dammit ready... why do you wanna confuse all this with practical common sense and wisdom?  LOL

[readyaimduck]

lol Patriot...it makes for more gossip, and then fact become real,  in someones eyes...<blink, blink>  IF they can go on facts.<winks>

ready to rest my eyes

[flintauqua]

Finally, this state act allowing these plans has been around since the mid 1990s.  If it's so great for Elk county why are we just now exploring it.  Where have our local past n present economic development experts been for the last decade and a half?  Just wondering.

You are correct in the fact that the enabling legislation, SB 732, was passed in 1994 creating the program under K.S.A. 12-17,119.  During the time I was involved heavily in ECCFED in the late 90's, early 00,s and my subsequent term as Director of Economic Development in 2003-2005, the program did come up several times.  At first there was a consensus that there weren't very many counties operating a program, especially rural counties, and thusly very little information on what results were generated.  As time went on, this seemed to remain the opinion.  By the time I became ED Director, both ECCFED and the commissioners had many tasks for me to perform that they deemed to be of greater importance.

I do not know exactly when different counties began their programs, but I do know that it is now the norm rather than the exception for a county to have a program under this legislation.  All the counties that border Elk County have programs that generated rebates in tax years '09 and '10, and overall all but 36 counties had programs that generated rebates during those two tax years.

[Ross]

Well, we will play that game, okay.

The point was that perhaps with a litlle studying on the sitituation even though the Enid monies had not come about, there would have still been a better set of numbers for Elk County.

Perhaps if they had figured what the actual county tax would have been on the wndfarm would have been, they could have negotiated more money.

Was there in form of a study done?
If so, where was it published?

I suppose you do't fel there is any better way of accomplishing anything?
For instance wouldn't including all the citizens of Elk County with full disclosure of what the Konnected Kounty Kommissioners do be helpful?

[flintauqua]

Perhaps if they had figured what the actual county tax would have been on the wndfarm would have been, they could have negotiated more money.

Was there in form of a study done?

Do you have a method to establish what the fair market value and appraised valuation percentage of a large scale wind energy project is so the tax due if the project wasn't exempt from property tax could be computed.  I don't know of one that exists now, and there certainly wasn't one readily available to county appraisers or county commissioners during the time the PILOT was negotiated.

Again, I reinterate.  I can not find a PILOT agreement negotiated between a Kansas wind project and a Kansas county that pays more per MW of nameplate capacity than the one negotiated between the Elk County Commissioners and the developers of the Caney River project, dated December 31, 2008. 

How can that be considered a failure on the part of the Commissioners?

[Patriot]

I do not know exactly when different counties began their programs, but I do know that it is now the norm rather than the exception for a county to have a program under this legislation.  All the counties that border Elk County have programs that generated rebates in tax years '09 and '10, and overall all but 36 counties had programs that generated rebates during those two tax years.

My question remains.. with more & more rural counties implementing these programs there should be some feedback on outcomes.  Why aren't we hearing about the outcomes, if they were effective, and how those will be realized by a similar program in Elk county?  Before implementation, I would like the leadership to provide some facts to support the need and efficacy of such a program locally.  Just because everybody's doing it doesn't mean it's effective, necessary or wise.  

[Patriot]

Two of our county commissioners, Hendricks & Liebau, our economic development director and our county appraiser have been working feverishly to adopt a tax rebate neighborhood revitalization plan for Elk County.  Today's commission meeting, provided the answer to a couple of troubling questions.  Why was the open application start date in the new plan set to January 1, 2012?  Is it because the plan is being developed to serve some special interest?  Commissioner Ritz asked these very questions.  Here is a summary of the answers presented in the public meeting...

The appraiser provided the following:
1.  A former Enterprise Zone development incentive program was cancelled by the state last year.
2.  There was a citizen who, because of delays in construction, failed to qualify for incentives in that program before it closed.
3.  A 'replacement' incentive program (Neighborhood Revitalization Plan) was proposed locally.
4.  The proposed program has yet to be finalized by the county commission or approved by the state attorney general.
5.  Nothing in the plan was designed to provide special treatment to anyone.
6.  The proposed program was drafted & presented by our economic development director & our appraiser and they set the application start date in the new plan back to Jan 1, 2012 specifically so the person mentioned in 2 above could participate.
7.  There may have been other premature applications taken as well.


Read that date again... 1/1/2012.  Commissioner Ritz pointed out that it's darned difficult to apply for a program that hasn't been adopted or approved as required state law.  Ritz observed that the fact the date was admittedly set so the person in 2 above (and perhaps others) could participate & allowed to apply before the program existed and without paying the proposed application fee upon application made it appear the plan was, in fact, being structured to provide some special benefit to one or more persons.  In spite of the facts reported by the appraiser above & Ritz' observations, the appraiser vigorously defended her statement that the program had not been configured to benefit any particular person.

At the urging of Commissioners Hendricks & Liebau, Ritz moved to change the open application period start date to January 1, 2013.  Neither Commissioner Liebau nor Hendricks would second the motion.  The motion failed.  Apparently fair treatment of all our citizens did too.

Is this kind of back door special treatment that the citizens of Elk County deserve or expect?  Wouldn't it be more fair and equitable for the start date to begin AFTER the program has been clearly presented to the public and legally adopted & approved.  Let's hope the public can see the game being played, makes their distaste for such things in Elk County well known, and calls for change.


Next time we'll look at how this tax rebate program is to be funded and who is really paying for it.

[redcliffsw]

So why should the Kommissioners owe a certain special citizen inclusion into their government program?

Why not back date the program about 10 years to January 1, 2002, to include others who missed out on the incentive too?

Government programs - that's not what this country is to be about.  That's tyranny.     

[Ross]

So why should the Kommissioners owe a certain special citizen inclusion into their government program?

Why not back date the program about 10 years to January 1, 2002, to include others who missed out on the incentive too?

Government programs - that's not what this country is to be about.  That's tyranny.     

AMEN to that redcliffsw

[Ross]

I just picked up this weeks Prarie Star Newspaper.

There was one little blurb in the back pages about he Elk County Summer Day Camp in the Notes from the Prairie section. However, it apparently now is called The Elk County/Elk Konnected Summer Kids Day Camp.

That's all I read in the paper about Elk Konneccted, LLC this week.

But i was actually looking forward to reading County Commissioner Hendricks Column about her take on the actions at this weeks County Commissioners Meeting and I could not find it. I looked several times, but what the heck I'm blind in one eye and can't see out of the other, and I just got new prescriptions. If you happen to see her column wont you please tell me what page and column, thanks.

If it's not there, I wonder why?

Is it just too much of the wrong type of information to put in the newspaper that took place at this weeks County Commissioners Meeting?

Is it she couldn't tell us that the motion made by the only non-konnected Commissioner failed to be seconded by the the two konnected-Commissioners and therefore ended up tabled? Why start running a program with a date 7 months (1 Jan 2012) before it has even had it's first hearing? Why not put a proper date (1 Jan 2013) that starts after the proposal is approved if, it even gets approved?

Which date is actually the proper date ?

One that has came and gone before the proposal is presented to the taxpayer ?
(1 Jan 2012)

Or one that takes effect if the proposal is approved?
(1 Jan 2013)

Where are the ethics ?
Where is the Commissioners Column ?
Is she trying to hide something from the puglic?
What excuse will she come up with, for not writing her column, to inform the citizens what happens at the County Commissioners Meetingthis week ?

I bet there is ckearly plausable explanation, don't ya thunk?