www.wichitaliberty.org
Open in
urlscan Pro
62.72.50.158
Public Scan
Submitted URL: http://wichitaliberty.org/wichita-government/wichita-city-manager-robert-layton-on-the-air/
Effective URL: https://www.wichitaliberty.org/wichita-government/wichita-city-manager-robert-layton-on-the-air/
Submission: On December 13 via api from AU — Scanned from AU
Effective URL: https://www.wichitaliberty.org/wichita-government/wichita-city-manager-robert-layton-on-the-air/
Submission: On December 13 via api from AU — Scanned from AU
Form analysis 1 forms found in the DOM
<form id="commentform" class="comment-form">
<iframe title="Comment Form"
src="https://jetpack.wordpress.com/jetpack-comment/?blogid=90385051&postid=11440&comment_registration=0&require_name_email=0&stc_enabled=0&stb_enabled=0&show_avatars=0&avatar_default=mystery&greeting=Leave+a+Reply&jetpack_comments_nonce=2a60b43114&greeting_reply=Leave+a+Reply+to+%25s&color_scheme=light&lang=en_US&jetpack_version=12.9&show_cookie_consent=10&has_cookie_consent=0&token_key=%3Bnormal%3B&sig=a5ade5c738de143874d18cb47844121f2f44b16d#parent=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.wichitaliberty.org%2Fwichita-government%2Fwichita-city-manager-robert-layton-on-the-air%2F"
name="jetpack_remote_comment" style="width:100%; height: 430px; border:0;" class="jetpack_remote_comment" id="jetpack_remote_comment" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-top-navigation allow-scripts allow-forms allow-popups" scrolling="no">
</iframe>
<!--[if !IE]><!-->
<!--<![endif]-->
</form>Text Content
Voice For Liberty
* Home
* About
* Visualizations
* Charts
* Tags and Categories
* Search
WICHITA CITY MANAGER ROBERT LAYTON ON THE AIR
Bob Weeks
on
January 31, 2011
Yesterday Wichita city manager Robert Layton appeared as a guest on the Gene
Countryman Show on KNSS Radio in Wichita and spoke on a number of topics brought
up by the host and callers.
Several times host Gene Countryman referred to Wichita theater owner Bill Warren
and his assessment of Layton as “best city manager the city’s ever had,” calling
Warren’s assessment “high praise.” Warren has good reason to heap praise on
Layton. He and his partners have benefited handsomely from actions the Wichita
City Council has taken at Layton’s recommendation. Most recently Warren escaped
paying property taxes on a new movie theater, and negotiated a deal in where the
property tax on an existing property will increase at an agreed-upon rate that
is likely lower than what would happen otherwise. Before Layton’s arrival in
Wichita, the council heaped subsidy on Warren too, once bailing out the failing
Warren Old Town Theater with an interest-free loan.
Layton also said criticism causes him to “bristle a little bit,” but dismissed
his critics as a small minority, although he said he doesn’t discount it.
On the possible arrival of Southwest Airlines to Wichita, Layton said he feels
“pretty good” about Wichita’s chances in receiving service from the popular
discount airline. He said that we need to keep the Affordable Airfares Program
to keep Southwest interested in Wichita. But later he said “The Southwest
business model doesn’t require subsidies over a long period of time.”
But as I wrote in 2006, we’ve been told before that the airfare subsidies were
meant to be temporary: “From the beginning, we in the Wichita area have been
told each year that the AirTran subsidy was intended as a temporary measure,
that soon AirTran would be able to stand on its own, and there will be no need
to continue the subsidy.” History has shown, however, that the subsidy has grown
to the point where the entire state funds the subsidy for Wichita. It appears to
be a permanent part of the state’s economic program, with Governor Brownback
expressing support for continued funding for the program.
On downtown, Layton said that the city doesn’t want to place businesses in
downtown who will be on tax breaks or tax exempt for ten years. If the city is
to achieve this goal, it will take a 180 degree change in the mindset in city
hall where the mayor and vice-mayor Jeff Longwell complain that we don’t have
enough “tools in the toolbox” to incentive businesses. In his State of the City
address last week, one of the achievements Mayor Carl Brewer was proud of was
the decision by Cargill to locate a facility in downtown Wichita. According to
city documents, “The City has also offered a 100% five-plus-five year tax
abatement on the new facility.” This is precisely the type of tax break Layton
spoke against. Cargill, by the way, received many other forms of subsidy — let’s
be clear — corporate welfare — for its decision.
On the plan for how to handle Wichita’s trash, Layton said his intent was to
start a community dialog on the subject, and that has happened. Layton praised
Iowa’s bottle bill, which adds five cents to the price of items sold in bottles.
He said it makes it easier for people to recycle.
SHARE THIS:
* Facebook
* Twitter
* Email
* Print
*
LIKE THIS:
Like Loading…
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Posted
January 31, 2011
in
Wichita city government
by
Bob Weeks
Tags:
Carl Brewer, Corporate welfare, Downtown Wichita revitalization, Jeff Longwell,
Robert Layton, Subsidy, Wichita city council
←Previous: Prospects for successful deregulation in Kansas
Next: Charles and David Koch v. George Soros: Free markets or not→
COMMENTS
5 RESPONSES TO “WICHITA CITY MANAGER ROBERT LAYTON ON THE AIR”
1. CarlosMayans
January 31, 2011
The trash project undertaken by the City is about making money for the City.
What needs to happen is for the City, in partnership, with the County to
look at new techniques in waste management that uses technologies that
automatically separates and recycles waste. Look at Israel for their
technologies.
Southwest has a business plan that looks at establishing service to
communities with an MSA over 1 million inhabitants. SW also prefers waiver
of landing fees; a marketing of their flights fund; and a fund for start up
costs. They don’t necessarily want state subsidies, but in communities where
they have taken subsidies they are usually between $15-40 million a year.
Check what NW Florida Beaches International Airport is providing to SW since
last summer.
2. Camarade C
January 31, 2011
Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!! I feel a delegation to Israel will solve the problem! Watch
what you say MR. Mayans.
3. Ictator
January 31, 2011
It was great to have Mr. Layton taking calls from the public.
I wonder where the city is getting all of their funds for all these new
spending schemes since the city’s property tax revenue cannot be growing
with a flat mill levy and soaring foreclosures.
4. Anonymous
January 31, 2011
Anytime Carlos pontificates about things, I shut down. Dude is quite proud
of running Bass Pro from Water Walk. Look where that left us. Has cost us a
lot more in the end.
5. Junior
February 2, 2011
When Cabela opens in East Wichita (without incentives) and Garden Mountain
fails at WaterWalk is Mayor Brewer going to give his buddy Jack Deboer more
taxpayers dollars or will GM close down???
LEAVE A REPLYCANCEL REPLY
This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.
Voice For Liberty
Powered by WordPress
%d
0
We'd like to show you notifications for the latest news and updates.
AllowCancel