KALAMAZOO (WKZO AM/FM) — Kalamazoo City Commissioners held a weekend retreat to talk about the budget, but retreating was the last thing on their mind as they transition from being a city making continual cut backs and job reductions to one that is all about growth and tackling their biggest problems.
One way they are doing that is with the Foundation for Excellence, a unique approach to city financing that not only injects new funding into city coffers through philanthropy, but it has reduced the tax rate from one of the highest in the state to one that is more competitive with neighboring communities.
We don’t know if there is a connection but there is a lot of new development underway, and more planned downtown.
Mayor Bobby Hopewell says Saturday’s retreat has provided them with an update on progress and a chance to tweak their course. They also talked about expanding their share prosperity initiative as they try to remove the obstacles that result in intergenerational poverty.
The city has already been able to broaden their summer services for youth, and greatly expand work on roads and other infrastructure, like replacing lead pipes and extending sidewalks.
The cut in taxes has had an immediate impact on the number of people who have fallen behind on their taxes, and had their homes foreclosed.
Kalamazoo County Treasuer Mary Balkema says there has been a 30% drop in one year.
They didn’t travel far for the retreat. It was held at “The Foundry” a new office development and restaurant that is located right on the river, and actually is an old foundary.
Therein lies the challenge. It’s a challenge that every urban core community faces…Michigan has seen its biggest city go bankrupt, and seen what state management has done to others.
Kalamazoo is going in another direction, one that none have tried and so far its working, but there is still along way to go and a lot of work that needs to take place.
