Fwd: Public Comment of Danielle Twemlow

---------- Forwarded message ---------
From: Rhonda Underwood <prettyidangel@yahoo.com>
Date: Thu, Jan 16, 2025 at 9:34 PM
Subject: Public Comment of Danielle Twemlow
To: Henry McClure <mcre13@gmail.com>

The below was on a Facebook Police Scanner Page and speaks truth. Miss Danielle Twemlow is professional, authentic and etc. I applaud her ability to present with eloquence...

TOPEKA I am sharing a section of public comment last night from Danielle Twemlow.  On point and worth the read. 

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Good evening, Council Members,

I want to thank Dr. Perez for holding special budget discussions-I recognize he inherited a lot. Josh does an excellent job breaking things down, and I appreciate the thoughtful dialogue from

councilmembers. However, I must address some troubling things that were missing. Topeka is at a crossroads. Our residents are struggling to make ends meet, yet millions of their tax dollars are

wasted on broken promises and mismanagement. This must end.

Where is the accountability for the outstanding debts owed to this city by individuals and corporations? Developers have cost taxpayers millions with little consequence. Consider Lauren's Bay. News reports from 2015 state we're $11 million in the hole after upfront investments in sewer lines, sidewalks, and road construction, along with unprecedented specials and ongoing maintenance for a neighborhood pond and dam. 

Or the downtown buildings purchased a decade ago with promises of redevelopment—left mostly vacant for years—only to have $6 million of taxpayer money now be funneled into upgrades with no tenants in sight.

These failures aren't isolated incidents; they're part of a pattern. And when the community raises valid concerns, they're dismissed as negativity. Let me be clear: there's a difference between being proud of where we live and having pride that blinds you to our shortcomings. That misplaced pride has allowed these issues to persist.

Let's review some numbers. In 2021 and 2022, during a time with a record low workforce, sales tax revenues soared. Why? Federal stimulus checks and near-living wages from unemployment allowed people to spend and support local businesses. When residents have what they need to thrive, our economy thrives. Yet now, we're returning to policies that place burdens on the very people who kept our economy afloat. Nearly 46.6% of Topekans are low to moderate income, 46% earn less than $50,000 a year, and

nearly half of them earn less than $25,000. Meanwhile, our expenses have skyrocketed. From 2017 to 2023, the median income in Topeka increased by a mere 1.28%. For comparison, water utility rates rose 65% in that same period. It should be noted that each time the utility rate increase came before the council the exact same justification was repeated each time: we have aging infrastructure and hundreds of miles of line replacement. And let's not use the inflation excuse because the water study in 2019 accounted for a 22.6% inflation increase. Rent in Topeka is now higher than 89% of Kansas, increasing by 24–31% in the last decade. For many, property taxes have gone up 65%. Gas rates, energy costs, and food prices have all surged, often forcing families to work multiple jobs just to stay afloat. We were told ARPA dollars—$35.7 million of them—were needed to pay down debt, yet here we are still miles of pipes needing replaced, aging infrastructure, lack of truly safe and affordable housing, and a community that has given and given. These decisions erode public trust. Giving corporations 25% tax breaks when they fail to hire locally or fulfill their promises is not economic development—it's exploitation. We must hold these entities accountable. Here's what needs to happen:

1. Conduct a comprehensive audit of each department's spending and efficiency as well as all outstanding debts and enforce collection.

2. Review contracts and ordinances to ensure accountability from developers and

corporations.

3. Shift priorities to directly benefit residents such as focusing resources toward revitalizing and strengthening existing neighborhoods, especially areas that have been historically underinvested. Encourage development that aligns with local needs rather than catering to speculative growth or external developers.

Topeka deserves better. This isn't a unique problem to us either. This is well documented and discussed within the Strong Towns approach: "The temptation is understandable: chase after new jobs and new growth, at almost any cost. But this approach can lead to a "race to the bottom," with different cities competing to see who can give away the most stuff—in the form of tax breaks and other incentives—to a big employer looking to move or expand. It can also tempt cities to "chase smokestacks" by expanding infrastructure and subsidizing new development in the hopes that, "If we build it, they will come." There are cities and towns across the country that, in an effort to "attract jobs," offer all kinds of tax incentives and giveaways if this or that corporation would just agree to set up shop for a few years." They further point out that "jobs" is not the same thing as residents, and often cities are merely subsidizing population growth for the town next door, especially if that town has better amenities and more entertainment options.

Here in Topeka, the evidence is clear: 40% of our workforce resides outside our city. It's time to focus on the people who choose to stay, who pour their energy and commitment into this community every single day. Their dedication should be reflected in how we allocate resources—not swayed by those chasing profits at the community's expense. The people of this city are paying attention. Tonight, I urge you to step up, own the responsibility entrusted to you, demand accountability, and put the needs of this community above corporate interests.

Yahoo Mail: Search, Organize, Conquer

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Henry McClure 

Time kills deals

785-383-9994

www.henrymcclure.live