Who does she work for? Time to retire..........

Subject: A Few Straightforward Questions as Your District 1 Constituent

Dear Karen,

I’m writing to you now as your constituent in District 1. For over twenty years I’ve been actively trying to develop property in Topeka. Back in September 2003, I signed a letter alongside Mayor Harry Felker, Vic Miller, Dean Ferrell, and others supporting the Master Land Use Plan for the 600-acre Commerce Park and the needed interchange. I signed that letter simply as “Henry McClure – Developer.” I’ve been in this game a long time.

What I don’t like is how you consistently play the victim. You’re the one who chose the rough business of politics. I don’t believe you have a clear concept of what it’s like to be a real estate developer or broker here. We don’t get paid unless we actually close deals. That means we live with real financial risk, years of carrying costs, zoning battles, and partnership complications.

That lack of practical understanding shows in repeated decisions. I’m one of the best historians on the malfeasance at Go Topeka. I still remember City Councilman Bill Haynes profiting an extra $4,500 per acre on his land — property that wasn’t even near the Commerce Park — purely because of his position. I also remember being told a Bark Park was “economic development.” At the time I owned a restaurant right next to the future Bark Park site, so that one hit particularly close to home. I was equally aggravated that the city never recorded the development agreement and TIF for College Hill. That agreement could have been used as leverage to force the current owner to bring his properties up to code. All of this has happened under your watch.

I think you represent the Chamber and Go Topeka far more than you represent the residents of District 1. You push for more sales tax to fund the fire department and affordable housing projects, yet you’ve misused the sales tax revenue you already have. Go Topeka has managed $125 million — and Topeka still looks like a dead town. At the end of the day, who takes responsibility? Who do we blame?

The same pattern continues today with economic development. BioRealty spent over four years trying to make the ASTRA Innovation Center work. They bought the buildings and invested their own money but still couldn’t get it done. Now we’re apparently moving to another attempt in the Link Building with another $9.5 million in sales tax dollars for a different group. After watching the last professional effort stall, I have to ask: what exactly has changed? Go Topeka couldn’t help close the last deal in four years — why would this one magically work?

On a more local note, I also don’t recall you discussing with your District 1 constituents why you planned to vote no on the Maverick deal. That project would have brought real benefits to the district. I don’t believe you had any business voting it down.

I’d appreciate straightforward answers on these matters. The people in District 1 deserve to know where you stand and whose interests are really being served.

Sincerely,

Henry McClure MCRE, LLC District 1 Resident Topeka, Kansas