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KS Toronado

(19,700 posts)
Sun Feb 13, 2022, 12:27 PM Feb 2022

Kansas is digging a $1 billion mystery hole. What could go wrong?

It’s the biggest financial incentive package in state history.

Yet we don’t know the name of the firm lawmakers have decided to woo with this unprecedented and risky deal,
which would provide the mystery company at least $1 billion in tax breaks, payroll subsidy, state-funded employee
training and other incentives. The sheer size of the offer and the secrecy surrounding it are red flags for experts,
but it has bipartisan support from Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly and the state’s GOP-controlled Legislature.

Watching the deal unfold left me with a queasy feeling in my gut.

It also has me thinking of a big hole in the ground out in western Kansas that promised to be an economic miracle
for a struggling community but which turned out to be just a wicked big hole in the ground.

Have you been to the Big Well?

Entire article here, no paywall

https://kansasreflector.com/2022/02/13/kansas-is-digging-a-1-billion-mystery-hole-what-could-go-wrong/

I don't like the sound of "payroll subsidy", are my taxes going to be paying their employee's wages???
Whatever this company is I'm guessing it'll go in the Wichita or Kansas City area because of the number
of people they expect to hire.

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Kansas is digging a $1 billion mystery hole. What could go wrong? (Original Post) KS Toronado Feb 2022 OP
Years ago Jim Hightower had a great article on how a corporation will get multiple cities/towns CrispyQ Feb 2022 #1
Yep, you got that right KS Toronado Feb 2022 #2
From what Rebl2 Feb 2022 #4
Perhaps a grave for the Clogfather? Wicked Blue Feb 2022 #3
Any rumours.. Maxheader Mar 2022 #5

CrispyQ

(38,545 posts)
1. Years ago Jim Hightower had a great article on how a corporation will get multiple cities/towns
Sun Feb 13, 2022, 12:38 PM
Feb 2022

to bid against each other for their brand new facility. Each city bids higher & higher & offers more & more, but most of the time, the number of jobs promised at the wages promised never happens. A few people make a ton of money, but the community as a whole rarely sees much benefit.

KS Toronado

(19,700 posts)
2. Yep, you got that right
Sun Feb 13, 2022, 12:46 PM
Feb 2022

plus when all their incentives & tax breaks run out they pit other cities/states against each other
and repeat the process.

Rebl2

(14,930 posts)
4. From what
Sun Feb 13, 2022, 08:05 PM
Feb 2022

I have read there is at least one other state in the running. Kansas City, KS and Kansas City, MO area always trying to steal companies away from each other by using tax break incentives. Thought they agreed not to do that anymore, but still goes on to some extent.

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