One of the definitions of war is “an active struggle between competing entities.” One would be hard pressed to deny the reality of the active struggle going on between Branson and Hollister to attract “big box” stores like Target, Lowes, Home Depot, Wal-Mart, etc. to anchor retail developments in their respective areas. How about the struggle between Branson and the taxing entities that it wants to divert revenues from without their consent?
Branson Alderman Ron Huff has said that if the big boxes went to Hollister it would result in the loss of tax revenues and jobs to Branson, adversely affect Branson businesses in a manner similar to what happened when Lowes opened up in Hollister, and that there would be an impact of new families on the Branson school district regardless of where the big boxes went. From an Ole Seagull’s perspective, Huff is describing the reality of the situation and the reason why Branson declared war on Hollister by attacking it with a Tax Increment Financing (TIF) missile.
In terms of weapons Branson had two missiles developed and ready to use, the less powerful, Branson Single Tax Increment Financing Missile (BSTIF) and the more powerful Taney County Tax Increment Financing (TCTIF) missile. The less powerful BSTIF only had the destructive power of the taxes that the City of Branson imposed and derived no power from other taxing entities within the Taney County. The more powerful TCTIF had not only the destructive power of the taxes that the City of Branson imposed but the additional taxes diverted from other taxing entities within the county without their consent such as Taney County, the Branson school district, and others.
Branson realized that time was running out and that Hollister was about to get the big box stores because of, among other things, the combined efforts and investments of local developers in site preparation, improvements to Highway 65, and the fact that Lowes was already there. It appears that the tactical decision was made to declare war on Hollister through a preemptory strike using their most powerful missile, the Taney County Tax Increment Financing (TCTIF) missile.
And so far it appears that it has worked. If appearances and documents presented at recent public meetings recently accurately reflect the effect of the war so far, Branson has Target, Home Depot and possibly Wal-Mart surrounded and is about to capture them. In fact from an outsider’s perspective it appears that Hollister is ignoring the fact that it is involved in a war with Branson that could affect its very economic stability.
If the big boxes went to Branson wouldn’t it result in the loss of tax revenues and jobs to Hollister, adversely affect Hollister businesses, and impact on the Hollister School District as families who couldn’t afford housing in Branson located within the district? An Ole Seagull thinks so.
Aren’t Taney County, the Branson school district, and other Taney County taxing entities involved in an active struggle with Branson to protect their future tax revenues from Branson’s use in TIFs without their consent? To an Ole Seagull the answer seems obvious. Yet, it seems like Branson is going through Hollister, Taney County, the Branson school district and other taxing entities within Taney County quicker than Israel went through the Egyptian army during the Six Day War in 1967.
Although there might be moments of honor among warriors there is very seldom honor in war itself. In the final analysis, when the battles are over and the war decided, what was honorable and right is determined by the victors. Even on Halloween that’s a scary thought!
