Lauren's Bay Deep Dive Prelude

Jim Klausman, a Topeka developer who owns Wheatfield Village at 29th and Fairlawn in Topeka, as well as Midwest Health, consisting of more than 50 healthcare communities in Iowa, Illinois, Kansas, Missouri, Nebraska, and Oklahoma, owes millions of dollars in back taxes on a very nice housing district near 47th and Wanamaker called Lauren's Bay. Commercial real estate broker Henry McClure, who is running for Topeka mayor against City Council Member Spencer Duncan, says taxes on these and about 100 other properties in the area have remained unpaid for a decade. In April, the Topeka City Council agreed to establish a community improvement district (CID) for 16 properties in the Lauren's Bay neighborhood, as well as "three city-owned lots that have sat empty for years." (https://www.ksnt.com/news/local-news/tax-incentive-approved-for-topeka-real-estate-developer/) Earlier, Klausman had agreed to pay past-due special assessments on those properties "in return for tax incentives from the city." Is creating or establishing a community improvement district for this development considered a "tax incentive?" It would help a great deal if reporting required definition of terms, but since it apparently does not, I am trying to find out by researching for myself. As soon as I have an answer I will let you know. Two new terms for me are "community improvement district" and "special assessment bonds." Stay tuned. “Special assessment bonds are general obligation bonds, commonly issued to fund development projects, where the interest owed is paid by taxes levied solely on the beneficiaries of that project.” https://www.investopedia.com/terms/s/specialassessmentbond.asp) See also: https://www.rocketmortgage.com/learn/special-assessment-tax