Time for Some Civic Action
Phil Dillon
Wednesday, October 10, 2007
A LOT OF US here in Emporia wonder what the future holds for us. We all want a better future for this city. The real disconnect between this city’s elite citizens/leaders and the rank and file is how we go about building that better future.
Current thinking seems to be using small tax increases to build a “viable” revenue stream for the city to spend. So, the mill levy increased at lower rates than in previous years. Oh, joy! To compensate the city recently increased fees for water use by about 25%. Now the City Commission is in the process of finding a way to increase waste collection fees by 25%. These “fees” amount to nothing more than a tax increase. And looming in the background is the real possibility of a sales tax increase. In a recent edition of the Gazette the idea of a city subsidy to market Emporia State University was floated. On the surface the idea seemed very appealing. None of us, after all, is against education. But, like the fees for water and waste collection, the “subsidy” proposed is really a clever disguise for an additional tax on the people of Emporia .
Everett Dirksen once observed that in the world of appropriations and taxes it’s “a billion here and a billion there and pretty soon you’re talking about real money.” While here in Emporia it doesn’t amount to billions, it’s still a little here, a little there, and pretty soon you’re talking about real money. It’s all a matter of scale.
While it may seem like a good idea to market Emporia State , we all need to understand that the problems we need to solve go far deeper than something a marketing plan can solve. We need good paying jobs to attract college graduates to sink their roots down here. As things currently stand, there are few, if any, reasons, for college graduates to stay here in Emporia . Our wages are low. Our household incomes are low. Our poverty rates are about the highest in Kansas . Our population is in decline. We have blight in our inner city. In downtown Emporia we have too many empty storefronts and those that are being filled bear the template “pawn shop” or “payday loans.” In parts of the city slum lords reign with impunity. There are abandoned homes. And, in other parts of the city the “for sale” signs are going up in increasing numbers.
I’m at a loss to understand why our city’s leaders cannot understand that we’re either tapped out or very close to it. The signs are everywhere – blight, payday loan shops, high poverty rates, social malaise, and people voting with their feet.
We’re in trouble and we need to face this reality head on. We cannot assume that tax increases and marketing plans will bring on the sunny days. It just won’t happen! I have no doubt that the people of this city want this to be a vibrant center of commerce and culture. But to get there we’re going to need more than a marketing plan and tax increases. We’re going to need a municipal Marshall Plan.
We need to find ways to become part of the global economy. While the rest of the country is finding its way into the spearhead of this change, we’re still stuck on the idea that brick and mortar invested in low-wage manufacturing and the “requisite” tax incentives that go with them is our ticket to future prosperity. Other communities around this country are revitalizing, using existing space in urban cores to create small businesses that rely on high levels of skill and commensurate wages rather than incentives given to low wage manufacturers. We need to find our way into that stream.
We need to create the incentives and reasons for Emporia State University students to sink their roots down here. Instead of focusing on marketing plans, we need to form partnerships with graduating students to become small business entrepreneurs here at home. Instead of focusing on marketing, we should be creating educational opportunity grants, particularly for Emporia ’s minorities. These could be tied to requiring the graduating student(s) to become part of a new wave of small business people here, committed to improving this city’s economic lot. We need to create the mechanisms necessary to deal with our slum lord problem once and for all. The majority of us maintain our properties in good order and have the increases in real estate taxes to prove it. It’s time for the slum lords to pay their share of this city’s tax burden. Fines and licensing fees are alright as far as they go. Standards should be upheld. And, those who continue to profit from promoting blight or increase their wealth at someone else’s expense should have their properties taxed based on what the value of the property should be, using agreed upon community standards, comps, etc. as a baseline.
We need to find ways to create real wealth and increase wages/incomes here rather than stifle wealth creation with increases in taxes, fees, or citizen paid subsidies, as we’re currently doing. The new economy is moving ahead at a rapid pace. We’re falling farther and farther behind by the day and if we stay mired in our current approach we’re going to continue to fall behind.
More than anything else, we need civic action. We need grass roots effort to turn this around. We need to sink our teeth in, so to speak. We need to insist that our city’s leaders dig deeper and find real solutions to the problems that plague us. And we shouldn’t let go until the problems are solved!
Blackshirt (anonymous) says...
Well said!
October 10, 2007 at 2:51 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jlittle2 (anonymous) says...
HERE, HERE, well said! There is so much truth to this article and as native Emporians or visitors we need to all come together and fight for this town and quit bitching about it! Even some of you "Politicians" that think you are big shots in Emporia now, well I know some of you and can remember when you use to say "why doesn't Emporia have or there is nothing in this town etc." Let's look at the big picture and build this community so our children will want to stay in Emporia and build their lives here!
October 10, 2007 at 3:26 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
Excellent! The "leaders" need to LISTEN to the average citizen. Instead of wasting money on a fancy clocktower few wanted, a big water park too far for the poorer kids to get to, and an ugly, overdone courthouse money should go to bringing Emporia into the future.
October 10, 2007 at 3:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Get off the clock tower and water park. I am tired of hearing about them. Let us look forward.
October 10, 2007 at 3:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bigearl2 (anonymous) says...
Thank you very well spoken ! Sometimes the truth is hard to take. I pray that things get better !
October 10, 2007 at 4:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bigearl2 (anonymous) says...
$25 Million dollar Courthouse ???????????
October 10, 2007 at 4:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bigearl2 (anonymous) says...
Is the Water Park still losing MONEY ???????????
October 10, 2007 at 4:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Bigearl2 (anonymous) says...
You are right Kstrebuchet ! I will let it go and not bring it up again. The past is the past and what is important is what we do now ! Especially for our young people here in Emporia.
October 10, 2007 at 4:42 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
admireed (anonymous) says...
Take the time to call a commissioner and arrange a visit. Let them know of your concers face to face. Point by point. Their job is not as easy as it appears. They will be happy to listen. They are a good bunch not selfish asses.
October 10, 2007 at 4:48 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Excellent piece, Phil Dillon. I especially like what you said about taxing blighted properties at what the value of the property should be. We need to keep this article close at hand. It is motivating.
October 10, 2007 at 5:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sciguy (anonymous) says...
I've heard the same sentiments from this article in discussions with many Emporians, and I share those sentiments myself.
October 10, 2007 at 6:03 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
emporian (anonymous) says...
Now if only someone will elect Mr. Dillon to the commission. He ran last year you know, but the big names won as usual. The NW corner of Emporia is very well represented while the avg working class indivuals that live in the other parts of the city are not. Put Mr. Dillon in the driver's seat and let him try to ressurect this town.
October 10, 2007 at 9:59 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
mwheeler_1979 (anonymous) says...
I am a ESU Alumni and I used to live in Emporia. In fact, at one time I wanted to spend my whole life here. That was before I got laid off from Birch Telecom in 2005. Talk about no jobs or low pay jobs. I was living off unemployment for 4 months until finally my wife got a job for 501 in Topeka, We relocated there and it only took me a month to get a job. It is unfornuate that I had to move away but we basically had no choice. Hopefully things will eventually get better for Emporia.
October 10, 2007 at 10:40 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
Yeah, I can't help but agree with admireed (if I understood correctly).
Mr. Phil Dillon can be found at www.anothermansmeat.blogspot.com and it's sort of disheartening.
He parades as a moderate liberal but, reading his website, it's not true.
M
October 10, 2007 at 11:02 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
blulitespecial (anonymous) says...
I kinda came away with the idea that the writer of the article wants Emporia to become a village of 100 lawyers,50 small software companies,and one plumber.
October 11, 2007 at 1:59 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
madpoet (anonymous) says...
I just brought up the clock tower and water park as examples of how the general public's wishes are often ignored. We all need to pull together to make Emporia a better place. That includes those of us who live out in the county but work and shop in Emporia. We are often left out of decisions since we don't live in the city limits. When I tried to vote on the sales tax issue for the water park I was told, too bad, you live outside of town. As if I don't do 99% of my shopping in Emporia! I can't vote for city commissioners either. I wonder how it would look if those who just work in town got to vote?
October 11, 2007 at 10:23 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
lycomu (anonymous) says...
Public discourse is only the beginning of the process, but when that discourse turns to finger pointing and name calling, we are left with what we started with. Emporia is experiencing the same problems that communities all across the United States are. Mistakes from the past are why we are where we are. Mistakes can be corrected. Why not take the positives of Emporia and use those to build upon? There are people in this town that have the focus and presence of mind to provide viable solutions to our current state. There are companies that are sucessful and dynamic. There are many ways to improve Emporia. All of those ways require committment and energy and money. We can always sit back and blame others. we can stick our heads in the sand and pretend nothing is wrong. We can accuse our leaders of being out of step with the real needs of the citizens. Or, we can do something. One step at a time. Clean your property. clean your neighborhood. Become involved in a non-profit. Volunteer to be on committees. Do research on new business or new incentives. Patronize Emporia business. Read the Gazette, listen to KVOE. Go to an ESU football game or play. Vote. Pay taxes. Run for office. Encourage others. Invest here. We can do so many things. It just requires effort
October 11, 2007 at 11:04 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
LouToYou (anonymous) says...
Emporia should sell the fairgrounds!
October 11, 2007 at 12:18 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
jlittle2 (anonymous) says...
Mistakes from the past? How is it that someone can continue to put blame on the mistakes from the past, when these Mistakes continue! There is no blame exspecially for a large part of this community who have paid there "dues" and paid there taxes, vote, volunteers, invest and pays for the "Emporia Gazette" and goes to our home football games whether that be high school or ESU, the dues are being paid! This town has passed up so many opportunities and for what so the next town/city can get that opportunity and have success! The city council/commissioners have been afraid for years to see Emporia grow, and the opportunity for new business come to this town and other options for the citizens of Emporia to chose from. It's sad that Emporia has one place to go to for most of the needs of shopping, Wal-Mart? Where is a super Target, where is a Super Dillions? Where? And then there is that same building that has not changed for over 30 years and that is the Flint Hills Mall, now I know it is leased however the city pays for the expenses in some way! I've always said it will take something drastic to happen to that building before a new and bigger building for a mall would be built! And career options, well let's see you can go to a great college ESU but then graduate and chose to either work at IBP (Tysons) or Dolly Madison! The investments have always been there and for our elderly citizens who have already "paid there dues" what has Emporia given back to them to show all the hard work they have done and the money they have paid into the city, NOTHING! The city has barely grew since our grandparents were in there 30's and 40's! So you can call the city and talk with commissioners and who the hell ever but this has been done for years and nothing has changed and how sad is that!!!
October 11, 2007 at 3:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
MelissaE (anonymous) says...
I agree with jlittle2.
A casino would do wonders, ya think? The ones where I live are paying for schools and keeping taxes low.
But that actually might work for Emporia so they'll vote it down (again).
M
October 11, 2007 at 3:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Yes, many people have been doing the right things for years, yet there still seems to be no dynamism here. And speaking of doing the right things like paying property taxes, has anyone ever looked at the list of delinquent property taxes? Ridiculous!
I agree, people should do volunteer work. I do. But you know what? I always see the same people volunteering their time. Where is everybody?
For goodness sake, the news article on the City Commission meeting reports that they can't fix the downtown storm drains for lack of $25,000. In the meantime, what will happen to downtown businesses the next time it rains hard? This is beginning to sound like an old song -- Manana.
October 11, 2007 at 5:09 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bdprotheroe (anonymous) says...
I am overjoyed by the fact that I agree (to a certain point) with Phil Dillon’s commentary, considering our conflicting viewpoints in past conversations.
To the citizens of the community I say: Take a step back and look at the big picture, it’s fair to say Emporia is at a crossroads. Every community (whether, town, city, county, metro area), sooner or later, encounters a moment when it needs to change, has to change because of social and economic influences. Emporia is on the verge of such a metamorphism, one that will decide the fate of the city for the next couple of decades. What has worked well in the past will no longer support the community of Emporia into the future. Paradigm Shift. The city must recreate itself for its survival and prosperity.
I don’t have the answers. No one person does. While it would be nice to implement immediate solutions to Emporia’s current challenges, it’s common sense to say that is unrealistic and impossible. A garden doesn’t grow overnight, unless you’re tending to a Chia-Pet. But, who wants a Chia-Pet solution to guide the city into the future?
I’d like to suggest the city commission to encourage more community participation in all discussions that will decide upon the course of the city’s fate. In fact, increase the amount of interaction (meetings, conferences, etc.) so that everyone has an opportunity to contribute to these decisions. Everyone needs a say in order to get the “buy in” of the community. Sure, not everyone will be happy, but at least the majority will then have had their say.
One of the things I have learned as an organizational development coach is a company is successful in creating and implementing strategy only when everyone has an opportunity to speak up, to state their opinions and ideas. Otherwise, a small a group of people will force-feed a decision onto the majority. That will only create an environment of negativity, distrust and bitterness. No one wins. The organization fails.
In summary, I hope more Emporians get involved with the engineering of the city’s roadmap to the future. Blogging is one thing, but active participation will be much more successful.
Brian Protheroe
San Francisco, CA
(Proud to call Emporia “home.”)
October 12, 2007 at 12:14 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
bdprotheroe (anonymous) says...
One more thing I would like to add is in regards to the necessary support of Emporia State University. While many graduates leave the community literally within an hour following graduation from this fine institution, ESU has been, is and will continue to play a crucial role within the community. Think about what would happen if the university would decline in enrollment and stature. The Emporia community would immediately feel the negative impacts upon it's culture and it's economic well-being.
I agree, more companies with better paying jobs need to be attracted to the city (and county), but without the financial strength of ESU, the community hasn't anything else as it's life support; the entire city of Emporia is dependent upon ESU (specifically, the money generated from the students and alumni).
Emporia State University is the bedrock of Emporia. ESU should always be given due respect and foremost consideration. Never bite the hand that feeds you.
BP
SF, CA
October 12, 2007 at 12:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )