Main Street, RDA fight for more tax money with differing results
By Jeremy Shapiro
Saturday, August 13, 2011
They have different areas of concentration and their money comes from different taxes, but both Emporia Main Street and the RDA requested more money in 2012 for economic development.
Emporia city leaders are poised to grant more money to RDA but not to Main Street. Those probable decisions reflect the will of the majority of city commissioner but are not unanimous.
As it stands now, the Regional Development Association of East Central Kansas will receive $310,000 in sales tax money next year, a $54,500 increase over the $255,500 they received in the past and about $17,000 more than what the RDA plans to spend this year.
Main Street is poised to again get $50,000 of property tax money from the city’s general fund. They asked for $60,000. They plan to spend between $112,000 and $118,000.
Here’s a look at the reasons for, and feedback on, both tax increase requests:
Main Street
The city’s allocation makes up roughly 40 percent of Main Street’s overall budget, said Casey Woods, Main Street executive director. Other money is generated through memberships and fundraising.
Bobby Thompson, Main Street board president, said in order to grow the events and programs, it’s going to take more money. Thompson said the extra $10,000 could be use toward event planning, staffing and marketing.
Main Street is also interested in new ventures, Thompson said.
“We want to start a downtown incubator to help start-ups get a foot in the door,” he said.
Woods said he and the Main Street board are aiming to make a bigger economic impact in the future. To do so a key component will be entrepreneurial development.
“And unfortunately that takes money,” he said.
Pick up the Monday Emporia Gazette for the complete article.
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Why is it that when anyone starts talking about other options to replace the RDA/CVB people go silent?
August 13, 2011 at 5:43 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Just a bunch of wussy and they are scared of a few people
August 13, 2011 at 7:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
romano1784 (anonymous) says...
Emporia city leaders are poised to grant more money to RDA but not to Main Street.
So they cant figure out how to bring their costs down but they are rehashing the same old ways to raise it up? Way to go! One step forward, two steps back. Again...
August 13, 2011 at 8:13 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Main Street needs better marketing--there are loans for small business at zero per cent interest, but who knows about it?
August 13, 2011 at 10:52 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
"Woods said he and the Main Street board are aiming to make a bigger economic impact in the future. To do so a key component will be entrepreneurial development."
Why hasn't Main Street already been involved in entrepreneurial development? For one thing, why haven't they called on downtown businesses and shown them how to market themselves more keenly with better use of window dressing? Just hanging huge, hand-lettered signs just doesn't do it. It makes the whole town look tired and cheap. Some businesses drag their stuff onto the sidewalks everyday. Very few businesses with big storefronts know what to do with their windows. They just hang stuff willy nilly. What a waste of good space! Where are you there, Main Street?
August 14, 2011 at 7:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
There HAS been marketing classes from Main Street on the very things you mentioned.
HAVE YOU HEARD THE OLD SAYING"
You can lead a mule to water, but it will probably take a 2X4 upside it's head to force it to drink.
or something like that ;>0
August 14, 2011 at 9:03 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Good morning create.
If you haven't already done so, you should sign up for the Main Street newsletter on line. It's usually a weekly notice of happenings in and around Emporia and has a lot of info. The link:
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs...
This link is to the archives and at the top of the list is one newsletter that mentions your concerns under the "keep it simple" heading.
Please try it and let me know what you think?
August 14, 2011 at 9:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Sorry, it's
"Sometimes it's the simple things" article
August 14, 2011 at 9:29 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
hottopics (anonymous) says...
Sometimes its common sense and not cash flow.
August 14, 2011 at 10:33 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I will sign up, Steve, thanks for the link.
When my daughter was home for a visit recently, her views of the town related to what she does for a living. As an executive in retail marketing, naturally she saw many things, one of them was poorly managed storefronts.
She said that one of the most important things that potential retailers look at is the jobless rate because they must consider their own target customers. Household income, population density, age, ethnicity, food stamp recipients, and even something like the number of payday loan places mean quite a bit.
I sent a list of what she saw to a commissioner.
We are not a Williams Sonoma kind of town. Specialty retailers like that would never locate here because there aren't enough high income whites. Just stating a truth. Companies must make a million dollars the first year and GROW from there.
People keep mentioning retail, retail, retail. My daughter thought that was rather silly in view of what we have now. By appearance in general, a low-income town.
What are the buying trends and patterns of the people of Emporia?
That's a good question to mull over. What say you, Steve and others? What are those buying trends?
August 15, 2011 at 9 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
BTW Steve, yes I agree. Sometimes it takes a 2x4 to get a mules attention and these stores simply don't get it. They have not one tiny idea about what to do with all those windows besides paint them with "go team go" at homecomings.
Maybe they don't like being told what to do. Maybe they would rather go broke. Maybe a personal note from people themselves who surely must notice the awful truth about all those storefronts. OR AN EDITORIAL. But of course, an editorial from Chris would come across as a have telling the have nots what to do. I withdraw my suggestion.
And all the dirt and dried gum! In one Chicago suburb, every morning before business begins, merchants get out with hoses and actually wash the sidewalks off. You know who does that here? One merchant, Muckenthaler's. They're the only one. And their sidewalk and area is always clean.
August 15, 2011 at 9:08 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
trainrech (anonymous) says...
Why not take the $17,000 that the RDA does not plan to spend and give $10,000 of it to Main Street who will put it to good use?
August 15, 2011 at 9:13 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
trainrech,
I wish they could. Different tax dollar fund, can't be given to main street.
August 15, 2011 at 11:09 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
create,
I don't know about buying trends, Casey would have data on that, probably. But as an average Emporia shopper, ( I think), Here is what I do.
Groceries Country Mart North.
Gas Quick Shop 12th and Merchant. They have the lowest prices usually if you use your Dillions card.
Cleaning supplies Dollar General
Cheap clothing wally world
Good clothing on line or Topeka or Kansas City.
Vehicles in town
appliances up to now in town.
Now that I think about, I probably am not an average shopper. If I see something I like I usually buy it.
I had to chuckle about your observation on gum. On our daily butt sweep-up at the bar we marvel at how the gum spots start at the parking lot to the south of us and go all the way to the door of the food store next door to us and then stops. If there was an award for gum textured sidewalks, we'd have 1st place.
for some reason I cannot bring myself to scrape other peoples messes up. It's bad enough picking up their trash and dirty baby diapers.
August 15, 2011 at 11:38 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
You get more trash and such as the population goes down and you become a welfair town.
August 15, 2011 at 11:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Very true, booker. I just watched CNN Money report on the three top towns in America. All three had low unemployment figures, top rate public schools, and lots of "quality of life" things to do, not just golf. From the video I saw, these towns were clean, clean, clean. Check them out here. The top three? Solon, Ohio; Milton, MA; and number one, Louisville, CO.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneym...
What does the RDA think of all them apples? Those towns have jobs, jobs, jobs, and NOT IN RETAIL OR FAST FOOD!!!
jeez!
There was a time in this country when spitting on the sidewalk was a crime, gum or otherwise. What's with all the spit on the sidewalk in front of Graves? Sick people going in for prescriptions? Our shoes pick that infection laden stuff up and we track it home. OMG!!! OMG!!!
August 15, 2011 at 11:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
What is it about being poor and not clean? Damn. I grew up in a fairly low income home, but my parents taught me manners and we were always clean. My mother washed clothes by HAND and hung them on a line to dry. She ironed for other people too. Damn, there is no excuse for being dirty or having nasty manners if you're poor.
August 15, 2011 at 12:01 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Here's a better list of those top cities across the country.
http://money.cnn.com/magazines/moneym...
August 15, 2011 at 12:04 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
Create, your daughters comment ring true, we have become a wallyworld town due to the policies brought on by our lack of leadership.How do our "leaders" expect retail to flourish when the discretionary income in Emporia is so low. I have no faith in the rda/chamber ever seeing emporia as it is. Ask yourself, how well has emporia done the last 15 years compared to improvents at Hays,Hutch, Lawrene, Manhatton,Mcpherson.We will either continue our slide to the bottom ,or we can come up with a workable community plan/goal to turn this town around. Any intrests? Our leaders dont seem to have a workable plan.
August 15, 2011 at 3:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Steve,
Our households have similar shopping tastes. When I want something I can't find locally, I buy online. I know a lot of people who do. There is where retail is, and it isn't in brick and mortar stores. I look for deals in shipping. Right now, several of my favorite clothing places are offering free shipping on fall clothing. Some charge a state sales tax for Kansas, some don't.
As far as trends are concerned, we have a plethora of cell phone places, don't we? Recently added, an AT&T store.
August 15, 2011 at 3:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I want to know exactly what RDA has done for Emporia since its inception and lately too besides contributing to a huge ugly scenario involving those damn rocks!
August 15, 2011 at 3:54 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
I drove pass a couple of the rocks today and I cant see anywhere how those ugly things should have cost what they did?
August 15, 2011 at 4:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Travel and tourism is a trillion dollar business.
http://www.kansas.com/2011/05/12/1845...
August 17, 2011 at 11:17 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
The old EMPORIA HIGH SCHOOL building would make a good downtown convention center.
August 17, 2011 at 11:22 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
Small Town Tourism. Give this ink a look.
http://www.smallbizsurvival.com/2010/...
August 17, 2011 at 11:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
One thing we need to play on is that tourists like to go where there is no tourists.
August 17, 2011 at 11:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
reddog (K. B. Thomas Jr.) says...
I saw one of those rocks with Pac Man on it, a college girl showed it to me. Could this be a subliminal message--this will not compute, this will not compute.
August 17, 2011 at 11:55 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
No, it's the Pac Man font. Font.
Pac Man gobbles up all the dots, and we are mere dots.
Where did Jim Kessler buy that black shirt he is wearing in the picture on the front page? Is he shopping Emporia? Where do you buy a black shirt like that in Emporia?
August 18, 2011 at 9:17 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
scarlett01_98 (anonymous) says...
another question for jim kessler. what do you think you are going to do l-cat? and do i need to go see the county commishion about this?
August 18, 2011 at 10:47 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
landinkansas (anonymous) says...
His shirt looks like the ones in the Pro Shop at the golf course. Looks good.
August 18, 2011 at 2:56 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
If he bought it there, I have no problem with his shopping Emporia first. IF he bought it there. IF
August 18, 2011 at 3:34 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )