One seems to be a go, the other has been stopped for now.
Last night the Crestwood board of aldermen voted 4-2 to allow TIF funds to a developer wanting to put a Walmart on Watson Road where a long abandoned movie theater sits. Like TIF or not, like Walmart or not, I know this corner and it drags the whole area down, there is no evidence someone was going to waltz in and be an economic savior. Walmart will add energy and money to the city's coffers and locals will come in droves.
The Central West End plan for a Whole Foods and condos has hit a stalemate because local union United Food & Commercial Workers Local 655 is demanding a neutrality agreement in which employers refrain from opposing employee union organizing efforts. No Whole Foods store is unionized and the company spokesman said they would not be signing any neutrality agreement nor would they go to any meetings about it. Before this blip neighbors were excited and work was about to begin in February. Now maybe April maybe later. One problem with this particular union is having is they may have angered other unions which would be doing the construction on this project.
TIF's are not good tools for economic development, when used in this manner. The East-West Gateway Coordinating Council study done some years ago showed cities using TIF actually had a net loss in sales tax over time.
Too bad, Missouri is not a right to work state. Whole Foods would not have to deal with the unions wanting to kill jobs.
Posted by: Ron | January 30, 2013 at 08:37 AM