By Maria Carter
Kansas City, MO – Kansas City council members took the first steps toward developing a policy on how they city should deal with tax increment financing and other tax breaks. KCUR's Maria Carter reports.
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The new city charter requires the council to come up with an economic development plan for Kansas City. Yesterday, consultants told the council a surge in TIF over the past few years had led to development, but they also raised concerns about how tax breaks were being used. They outlined several problems a negative effect on the city's bottom line, a confusing process for approval, and tax breaks becoming the norm, instead of an exception. Mayor Mark Funkhouser proposed creating a citizen taskforce to come up with a policy, but Councilman Ed Ford says it should be the council's responsibility.
Ed Ford: "I think for this council to have ownership of the policy this council has to adopt and establish the policy and not farm it off to a citizens' committee."
No decision was made and the matter will come before the council again next week.
Maria Carter, KCUR News.