Should cities continue to give generous tax incentives to big retailers even if it means those businesses will eventually challenge their property valuations, demand several years of tax refunds and leave homeowners and school districts holding the bag?
Some Johnson County cities are beginning to say no. As the news has begun to sink in that yet another corporate discounter – Walmart – recently won an appeal of its property values, a few cities are already looking at ways they can protect themselves. And the idea of the day seems to be tax incentive agreements that can rake back some of the money if retailers get their way in a tax appeal.
Gardner and Lenexa may be the first Johnson County cities to try such a thing, and Shawnee is considering it. Gardner had an agreement written into its Main Street Market Place development for a Price Chopper grocery store. Lenexa’s is for the City Center Hotel development for a Hyatt.
(Read more: Shawnee Mission Post)