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Daily Archives: Oct. 16, 2012
Democrats can’t be Christians?
Oct. 16, 201212:07 p.m.
Asked by the Huffington Post about comments at a recent forum suggesting that Democrats should not be Catholics, state Senate candidate Steve Fitzgerald (in photo) of Leavenworth even went further: “Christ said marriage is between one man and one woman, and the Democratic platform said that it’s not true. So therefore, my point was that one cannot support the Democratic platform and be a follower of Christ,” Fitzgerald said. He is the GOP challenger to state Sen. Kelly Kultala, D-Kansas City. Referring to his intended advice to Democrats, Fitzgerald told Huffington Post: “My actual message was ‘fix the party or leave.’” Kultala, who is Catholic, recalled that at the meeting of the Polish American Democratic Club, “I was so angry I was seeing spots.” She also told Huffington Post: “He does not have the right to dismiss my faith because it is not the same as his. He’s trying to make it sound that you are only truly faithful if you are a right-wing Republican. That’s not right.”
Even without STAR bonds, Bowllagio is asking a lot
Oct. 16, 20126:00 a.m.
The proposed Bowllagio mixed-use development at Kellogg and Maize Road is back on the Wichita City Council agenda after two years, with developer Jay Maxwell asking for the local public incentive of pay-as-you-go tax-increment financing. The project is no longer seeking state approval of sales-tax-and-revenue bonds. The promoters argued in 2010 that the development would be a regional draw for bowling events and a boost for tourism, persuading the council to set up a community improvement district in which a higher sales-tax could be charged and its proceeds used to help pay development costs. It would be great to see the problematic floodplain site, now an unsightly collection of dirt mounds and weeds, finally put to productive use. The big question for council members, as they decide whether to schedule a Nov. 20 public hearing, is whether Bowllagio is worthy of another TIF district, where increased tax revenue can be used to pay for eligible public improvement costs. Other TIF districts have underperformed in recent years, and the Sedgwick County Commission has resisted going along with them. It’s going to be especially tough to justify such a public incentive if the owners of other area bowling alleys are as united in fierce and vocal opposition to the project as they were two years ago.
