Leawood makes good moves on CID request

Leawood officials this week continued their responsible review of how much money taxpayers should invest in improving a private development.

The money would be raised through a higher sales tax, charged within a community improvement district, or CID.

No decision was made Monday night regarding a request for $10 million of support by owners of the Camelot Court Shopping Center at 119th Street and Roe Avenue.

The next meeting is scheduled for June 2.

Mayor Peggy Dunn said in an interview Tuesday that several City Council members appear to be leaning toward supporting close to the full incentive amount for the shopping center. But a majority, she said, support something closer to the 50 percent to 70 percent range.

All of those, it should be noted, would be higher than the city staff recommendation of a modest 38 percent in public support.

CIDs have become popular ways for private developers on both sides of the state line to tap into public funds for improvements to their properties.

Many local cities have gone overboard in approving CIDs, often giving away taxpayer revenue even if it’s going to be spent dealing with normal wear and tear issues on private properties, such as exterior improvements to buildings.

These are the kinds of costs that many other private businesses plan for and pay for every year. So do most homeowners.

Leawood officials are showing leadership by taking their time to make sure public funds are spent for reasonable improvements that could benefit the public, such as pedestrian amenities and drainage.

This story was originally published May 6, 2014 at 9:08 PM with the headline "Leawood makes good moves on CID request."