Remarkably, in what has been close to 40 “Coffee with Cleaver” events, this is the first time we are cancelling due to weather. Perhaps more remarkable is the foot of snow they are predicting for tomorrow. For those I am looking forward to seeing in Grandview, we have tentatively rescheduled tomorrow’s Coffee for April 18th at the same location 8-10 a.m., Harry’s MUG, 12222 Blue Ridge Ext.
Be safe tomorrow, and thank you for understanding.
Friday, March 27, 2009
The Green Impact Zone
Since the passage of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA), I have spent a great deal of time trying to help our community position itself in the best possible place to take advantage of this huge federal investment.
To that end, I have been meeting with community leaders, city staff, elected officials locally and Cabinet and administration officials in Washington, D.C. to advance the idea of targeting stimulus investments in a way that maximizes and deepens the impact of every dollar.
As a result of these meetings, Resolution No. 090254 has been introduced to the Kansas City Council that will target a portion of millions in stimulus funds to a hard hit area of Kansas City. We are calling the area the “Green Impact Zone.”
Under this resolution the City Council commits to use a significant portion of the funds received under the ARRA for a focused area of the City bounded by 39th Street on the north, 51st Street on the south, Troost Avenue on the west and Prospect Avenue to 47th Street over to Swope Parkway on the east. Directly effected are the neighborhoods of Ivanhoe, Blue Hills, 49/63 and Manheim and Town Fork Creek, some of the City’ strongest neighborhood organizations.
Through community discussions convened by the Mid-America Regional Council, an overarching goal of training and putting residents of these neighborhoods to work weatherizing every home that is eligible within the Zone has been suggested.
This is no small task, but has the potential of reducing utility bills, conserving electricity and creating sustainable jobs for a portion of our community where unemployment is hovering between 20-50 percent.
In a community where every dollar counts, reducing utility bills by half would be a significant achievement. Creating thousands of jobs would be a godsend and making neighborhoods east of Troost that have been historically last now be first should bring us all to our feet.
As the discussions of the Green Impact Zone have progressed, excitement has built and partnerships have been forged. Kansas City Power and Light has stepped up to the plate and committed that, if the city is willing to adopt this plan, KCP&L is willing to invest and deploy a “Smart Grid” in the Zone. In addition to making investments to put solar panels on newly weatherized homes, a “Smart Grid” would allow each home to receive a credit for unused solar energy that can be stored in batteries to be used for the rest of the grid. Their commitment is to create a model of the energy grid of the future unlike any in the country.
From Public Works to Parks and Recreation, both government and private dollars will be leveraged to create green sustainable jobs, enhance the neighborhoods and create a model for the rest of the nation.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and business as usual will not be good enough. For too long — and I am certainly guilty of perpetuating the problem — our City has drawn down federal dollars divided equally by six Council Districts and weakened the effect of the investments. We must target our funds. This Resolution No. 090254 will do just that. Those throughout the country who have the plans and are ready to go will receive the most funding. The Green Impact Zone puts us at the front of the pack.
Thus far “green” investments have been reserved for those who can afford the upfront cost. In neighborhoods like these, where the median income is less than $20,000 a year, “greening” is simply not possible. This plan removes that burden and reduces the utility bills for those who need it most. With job training, neighborhood stabilization and infrastructure investments targeted here, “green” is no longer an academic concept for someone else — it becomes a means to change peoples lives right here in our urban core.
Let us seize this giant opportunity to create a better future and show America, when it comes to “green” we are in the lead.
To that end, I have been meeting with community leaders, city staff, elected officials locally and Cabinet and administration officials in Washington, D.C. to advance the idea of targeting stimulus investments in a way that maximizes and deepens the impact of every dollar.
As a result of these meetings, Resolution No. 090254 has been introduced to the Kansas City Council that will target a portion of millions in stimulus funds to a hard hit area of Kansas City. We are calling the area the “Green Impact Zone.”
Under this resolution the City Council commits to use a significant portion of the funds received under the ARRA for a focused area of the City bounded by 39th Street on the north, 51st Street on the south, Troost Avenue on the west and Prospect Avenue to 47th Street over to Swope Parkway on the east. Directly effected are the neighborhoods of Ivanhoe, Blue Hills, 49/63 and Manheim and Town Fork Creek, some of the City’ strongest neighborhood organizations.
Through community discussions convened by the Mid-America Regional Council, an overarching goal of training and putting residents of these neighborhoods to work weatherizing every home that is eligible within the Zone has been suggested.
This is no small task, but has the potential of reducing utility bills, conserving electricity and creating sustainable jobs for a portion of our community where unemployment is hovering between 20-50 percent.
In a community where every dollar counts, reducing utility bills by half would be a significant achievement. Creating thousands of jobs would be a godsend and making neighborhoods east of Troost that have been historically last now be first should bring us all to our feet.
As the discussions of the Green Impact Zone have progressed, excitement has built and partnerships have been forged. Kansas City Power and Light has stepped up to the plate and committed that, if the city is willing to adopt this plan, KCP&L is willing to invest and deploy a “Smart Grid” in the Zone. In addition to making investments to put solar panels on newly weatherized homes, a “Smart Grid” would allow each home to receive a credit for unused solar energy that can be stored in batteries to be used for the rest of the grid. Their commitment is to create a model of the energy grid of the future unlike any in the country.
From Public Works to Parks and Recreation, both government and private dollars will be leveraged to create green sustainable jobs, enhance the neighborhoods and create a model for the rest of the nation.
This is a once in a lifetime opportunity and business as usual will not be good enough. For too long — and I am certainly guilty of perpetuating the problem — our City has drawn down federal dollars divided equally by six Council Districts and weakened the effect of the investments. We must target our funds. This Resolution No. 090254 will do just that. Those throughout the country who have the plans and are ready to go will receive the most funding. The Green Impact Zone puts us at the front of the pack.
Thus far “green” investments have been reserved for those who can afford the upfront cost. In neighborhoods like these, where the median income is less than $20,000 a year, “greening” is simply not possible. This plan removes that burden and reduces the utility bills for those who need it most. With job training, neighborhood stabilization and infrastructure investments targeted here, “green” is no longer an academic concept for someone else — it becomes a means to change peoples lives right here in our urban core.
Let us seize this giant opportunity to create a better future and show America, when it comes to “green” we are in the lead.
Turn out the Lights
In what promises to be the largest demonstration of public concern about climate change ever attempted, tomorrow, citizens around the world are encouraged to turn out the lights for an “Earth Hour” on Saturday, March 28, at 8.30 p.m. Billions could be flipping the switch with you across the globe.
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, races and backgrounds have the opportunity to use their light switches as their votes – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. I urge you, of course to VOTE EARTH and help reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
A year ago, I encouraged you to do the same thing and an estimated 50 million people worldwide joined in turning off their lights. This year, U.N. headquarters in New York will turn off the lights, along with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Here in Kansas City the lights on City Hall and the Convention Center space stations will be turned off. Special thanks to Cathy Jolly and the City Council for leading the effort at the City.
I have asked that the federal buildings in Missouri’s Fifth District turn off their lights during this year’s Earth Hour, and the General Services Administration has answered the call. Federal property managers will turn off as many lights as possible from 8:30 to 9:30. Only in cases where the lights are on for security measures or building safety will they be left on.
I am very proud our GSA will cast its vote for the Earth, and prouder still of their commitment to energy efficiency. According to Charlie Cook at our GSA, their energy conservation program began in 1973. Since then, cost-avoidance and energy-conservation measures have delivered more than $2.25 billion in savings nationwide. Between 1985 and 2005, GSA successfully reduced energy consumption in federal buildings by 30 percent, and their efforts are continuing. The ARRA committed $4.5 billion for GSA to spend on turning existing federal facilities into high-performing green buildings.
So, remember to cast your vote for the Earth tomorrow and turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Thank you!
This year, Earth Hour has been transformed into the world’s first global election, between Earth and global warming.
For the first time in history, people of all ages, nationalities, races and backgrounds have the opportunity to use their light switches as their votes – Switching off your lights is a vote for Earth, or leaving them on is a vote for global warming. I urge you, of course to VOTE EARTH and help reach the target of 1 billion votes, which will be presented to world leaders at the Global Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen 2009.
A year ago, I encouraged you to do the same thing and an estimated 50 million people worldwide joined in turning off their lights. This year, U.N. headquarters in New York will turn off the lights, along with landmarks such as the Eiffel Tower in Paris or the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. Here in Kansas City the lights on City Hall and the Convention Center space stations will be turned off. Special thanks to Cathy Jolly and the City Council for leading the effort at the City.
I have asked that the federal buildings in Missouri’s Fifth District turn off their lights during this year’s Earth Hour, and the General Services Administration has answered the call. Federal property managers will turn off as many lights as possible from 8:30 to 9:30. Only in cases where the lights are on for security measures or building safety will they be left on.
I am very proud our GSA will cast its vote for the Earth, and prouder still of their commitment to energy efficiency. According to Charlie Cook at our GSA, their energy conservation program began in 1973. Since then, cost-avoidance and energy-conservation measures have delivered more than $2.25 billion in savings nationwide. Between 1985 and 2005, GSA successfully reduced energy consumption in federal buildings by 30 percent, and their efforts are continuing. The ARRA committed $4.5 billion for GSA to spend on turning existing federal facilities into high-performing green buildings.
So, remember to cast your vote for the Earth tomorrow and turn off your lights from 8:30-9:30 p.m. Thank you!
Friday, March 20, 2009
MODOT adopts flawed plan
Yesterday evening in Springfield, the Missouri Highways and Transportation Commission (MoDOT) gave approval to their final list of transportation projects to be funded by economic recovery funds. MoDOT estimates it will directly or indirectly support 22,000 jobs. I think there could have been more.
The project package totals $577 million, $52 million more than the $525 million MoDOT was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The department built in additional money in its proposal that assumes it will qualify for redistribution of funds from other states if they become available. It may be ambitious to think that that much money will be returned from states who do not utilize their funds.
I will say that MoDOT’s urgency is well placed. The bill, approved by Congress, dictated that 50 percent of the stimulus funds must be obligated by June 30 (90 days), and all money must be obligated by March 2, 2010.
In addition, the allocations became even more complex because projects also had to meet all federal regulations, including environmental clearances, contracting requirements and air quality rules.
But there were additional requirements that MoDOT seems to have read as merely suggestions. The release from MoDOT that came out last night reads:
“Once those requirements were met, ARRA said consideration should be given to projects that could be completed within three years. It also said consideration should be given to projects that would maximize job creation and economic benefit. Additionally, it said that improvements located in economically distressed areas should be considered.”
Actually, the bill does not just require “consideration” it requires that “priority” be given to projects that can be completed in three years and are located in economically distressed areas. (P.L. 111-5, pages 92-93 reads: “that in selecting projects to be carried out with funds appropriated under this heading, priority shall be given to projects that are projected for completion within a 3-year time frame, and are located in economically distressed areas as defined by section 301 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.”)
Giving priority and merely considering are very different things.
It is yet to be determined if MoDOT’s adopted plan violates the letter of the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of the law. Currently, of the $577 million MoDOT has discretion in programming, $199 million is being spent in 14 'non-distressed' counties. The other 100 'distressed' counties are sharing the remaining funds. If Missouri doesn’t follow the intent of the law, a couple of concerns arise. The Secretary of Transportation could say they need to redraw the plan which will make it hard to get the money out in 90 days. But the underlying concern is that if money doesn’t go to the parts of the state most in need the stimulus may not work.
For all the games and pontificating on this issue on both sides of the aisle, we all need the stimulus to work or we'll be staring at 10-plus-percent unemployment. Today MARC announced we are already at 8.2% unemployment. That is my main concern. Yes, I want MoDOT to follow the law and be fair and equitable, but more than that, the money should be spent where it is needed most because I want it to actually stimulate the economy as it is designed.
The plan announced yesterday represents some progress. When the initial list was released, Missouri's Fifth District was slated to receive $44 million in stimulus dollars for two major projects. Since I raised concerns about intent and equity, the district is up to $69 million and five major projects. It is progress, but I think distressed areas, like ours, should still be getting more and I am making that case.
There are very few things I would ever say we have in common with St.Louis — they have annoying sports teams, sub-par barbeque and a foreign owned beer-maker. However, on the issue of distressed areas being shortchanged in favor of non-distressed with stimulus money we are in agreement. Since Mayor Slay took to the airwaves his city's allocation has gone up by $12 million and my complaints have led to $25 million more for us. I cannot speak for Mayor Slay, but I am not done fighting.
My staff and I have attended meetings and spoken with MoDOT multiple times during their process leading to this point. When asked to give input, we have raised our concerns, among them is at first read it does not appear that appropriate priority has been given to distressed areas or job creation as directed by the law.
Let me be crystal clear. It is not my money and it is not MoDOT’s money. It is your money. I am concerned the people I represent are not seeing their federal tax dollars being used for their benefit. If the state of Missouri is going to gain public money to stimulate the economy the money should be used in the way it was originally prescribed to fulfill the obligation they assumed by accepting it.
Our economic crisis is not a game and the actions of MoDOT do not serve the people of Missouri or my district well. Wednesday, I met with Attorney General Holder to discuss this matter and will be meeting with Secretary of Transportation LaHood next week.
The project package totals $577 million, $52 million more than the $525 million MoDOT was allocated by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). The department built in additional money in its proposal that assumes it will qualify for redistribution of funds from other states if they become available. It may be ambitious to think that that much money will be returned from states who do not utilize their funds.
I will say that MoDOT’s urgency is well placed. The bill, approved by Congress, dictated that 50 percent of the stimulus funds must be obligated by June 30 (90 days), and all money must be obligated by March 2, 2010.
In addition, the allocations became even more complex because projects also had to meet all federal regulations, including environmental clearances, contracting requirements and air quality rules.
But there were additional requirements that MoDOT seems to have read as merely suggestions. The release from MoDOT that came out last night reads:
“Once those requirements were met, ARRA said consideration should be given to projects that could be completed within three years. It also said consideration should be given to projects that would maximize job creation and economic benefit. Additionally, it said that improvements located in economically distressed areas should be considered.”
Actually, the bill does not just require “consideration” it requires that “priority” be given to projects that can be completed in three years and are located in economically distressed areas. (P.L. 111-5, pages 92-93 reads: “that in selecting projects to be carried out with funds appropriated under this heading, priority shall be given to projects that are projected for completion within a 3-year time frame, and are located in economically distressed areas as defined by section 301 of the Public Works and Economic Development Act of 1965.”)
Giving priority and merely considering are very different things.
It is yet to be determined if MoDOT’s adopted plan violates the letter of the law, but it certainly violates the spirit of the law. Currently, of the $577 million MoDOT has discretion in programming, $199 million is being spent in 14 'non-distressed' counties. The other 100 'distressed' counties are sharing the remaining funds. If Missouri doesn’t follow the intent of the law, a couple of concerns arise. The Secretary of Transportation could say they need to redraw the plan which will make it hard to get the money out in 90 days. But the underlying concern is that if money doesn’t go to the parts of the state most in need the stimulus may not work.
For all the games and pontificating on this issue on both sides of the aisle, we all need the stimulus to work or we'll be staring at 10-plus-percent unemployment. Today MARC announced we are already at 8.2% unemployment. That is my main concern. Yes, I want MoDOT to follow the law and be fair and equitable, but more than that, the money should be spent where it is needed most because I want it to actually stimulate the economy as it is designed.
The plan announced yesterday represents some progress. When the initial list was released, Missouri's Fifth District was slated to receive $44 million in stimulus dollars for two major projects. Since I raised concerns about intent and equity, the district is up to $69 million and five major projects. It is progress, but I think distressed areas, like ours, should still be getting more and I am making that case.
There are very few things I would ever say we have in common with St.Louis — they have annoying sports teams, sub-par barbeque and a foreign owned beer-maker. However, on the issue of distressed areas being shortchanged in favor of non-distressed with stimulus money we are in agreement. Since Mayor Slay took to the airwaves his city's allocation has gone up by $12 million and my complaints have led to $25 million more for us. I cannot speak for Mayor Slay, but I am not done fighting.
My staff and I have attended meetings and spoken with MoDOT multiple times during their process leading to this point. When asked to give input, we have raised our concerns, among them is at first read it does not appear that appropriate priority has been given to distressed areas or job creation as directed by the law.
Let me be crystal clear. It is not my money and it is not MoDOT’s money. It is your money. I am concerned the people I represent are not seeing their federal tax dollars being used for their benefit. If the state of Missouri is going to gain public money to stimulate the economy the money should be used in the way it was originally prescribed to fulfill the obligation they assumed by accepting it.
Our economic crisis is not a game and the actions of MoDOT do not serve the people of Missouri or my district well. Wednesday, I met with Attorney General Holder to discuss this matter and will be meeting with Secretary of Transportation LaHood next week.
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