Thanks to Chuck Palah, the best researcher I've ever found, for this undeniable statement of the facts.
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| Mayor Sly James is giving away KCI terminal in a no-bid contract to the bride, Burns & Mac--as a form of dowry. Even tho Burns & Mac owns only a car barn in KCMO. And 85% of her employees live outside of KCMO, mostly in Joco. |
Conspicuously absent from the tax rolls? Their headquarters building, with the recent expansion completed, after KCMO granted them blight designation, millions in tax breaks, partial earnings tax exemption, all while the city financed the project for them.
So where is it? Lost in the fog at KCI???
In the wake of Burns and McDonnell's recent surprise announcement, requesting to be given a no-bid billion(+) dollar airport terminal construction contract, the public is being told by Mayor James, City Manager Troy Schulte, CEO Ray Kowalik, and most of our local media, that Burns and McDonnell is an outstanding exemplary member of the Kansas City Missouri community. But is that really true? Let's take a look, because everyone else seems to quickly accept whatever they're told without question.
First, just a quick refresher on Burns and McDonnell. They are a privately-held, employee-owned, wealthy Kansas City-based engineering, architecture and construction firm, headquartered at 9400 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64114. For 2015, Burns and McDonnell reported $2.6 billion in total revenue. Average compensation for the most common salaried job (electrical engineer) is $136,955. Their workforce is comprised of 84-percent White Caucasian, 6-percent Asian, 5-percent Latino, and 4-percent Black. Women hold 24-percent of positions.
The board of directors is composed entirely of White males.
Now, let's go to the website for JACKSON COUNTY MISSOURI and see if Burns and McDonnell pays taxes on real estate/personal property.
Below, you'll see all the listings on the site for Burns and McDonnell, and remember that their headquarters is 9400 Ward Pkwy, Kansas City, MO 64114:
BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING CO INC
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404 W 90TH ST, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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12/16/2016 00:00
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19,227.56
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This is the only real estate listing found for Burns and McDonnell. This is a parking lot/storage facility, several blocks from their headquarters, where they keep vehicles/trailers.
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING COMPANY IN
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10450 HOLMES RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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Inactive account
Burns and McDonnell occupied 3 floors of this building.
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BURNS AND MC DONNELL
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404 W 90TH ST, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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No activity on this listing since 2015.
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENG CO INC
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9201 STATE LINE RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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Inactive account
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING CO INC
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9221 WARD PKWY STE 300, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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Listed as an active account, but no values found.
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING COMPANY INC
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4800 MARTHA TRUMAN RD, GRANDVIEW, MO 64030
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11/30/2016 00:00
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4,921.66
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Listed as a MACR 7-year personal property for tax depreciation purposes.
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENGINEERING COMPANY IN
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404 W 90TH ST, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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11/30/2016 00:00
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5,032.92
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Personal property
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENG CO INC
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10450 HOLMES RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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11/30/2016 00:00
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23,763.27
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Personal property for the 3 floors of the building which they occupied.
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENG CO INC
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9201 STATE LINE RD, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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11/30/2016 00:00
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72,971.53
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Personal property
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENG CO INC
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9300 WARD PKWY, KANSAS CITY, MO 64114
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11/30/2016 00:00
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626,618.61
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For the personal property listed below.
34 Chevrolet Impalas, 2 boats with motors, 3 flatbed trailers, 12 other trailers, 13 Chevrolet truck/SUV, 1 Ford Transit, 142 GMC truck/SUV, 1 Lincoln MKT SUV
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BURNS & MCDONNELL ENG CO INC
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UNKNOWN, UNKNOWN, MO
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Listed as an active account, but no values found.
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So, you can see that Burns and McDonnell pay a modest amount of taxes on personal property (vehicle fleet, trailers, boats, furniture, office equipment, etc.) held in all the buildings they occupy, yet only have one real estate holding at 404 W. 90th KCMO 64114. You can Google this address to view their modest non-descript vehicle storage facility.
Conspicuously absent is their headquarters building, with the recent expansion completed, after KCMO granted them blight designation, millions in tax breaks, partial earnings tax exemption, all while the city financed the project for them.
Next, let's see where the Burns and McDonnell leadership team reside. Do you think they live within KCMO? Based on a sampling of several hundred Burns and McDonnell employees who contributed to Mayor James reelection campaign during a single quarterly reporting period, we know that approximately 85-percent or more of their employees do not reside within KCMO. And if you don't reside in KCMO, then you don't pay property taxes/buy groceries/merchandise in KCMO, and don't send your children to school in KCMO.
Ray Kowalik, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, lives in Lee's Summit, MO.
David Yeamans, Director and President of Aviation & Facilities Division, lives in Leawood, KS.
John Nobles, Director and President of Process & Industrial Division, lives in Leawood, KS.
Paul Fischer, Vice President and Director, lives in Overland Park, KS.
John Olander, Vice President and Director, lives in Leawood, KS.
Dave Ruf Jr., Chairman Emeritus, lives in Overland Park, KS.
Greg Graves, recently retired CEO, lives in Stilwell, KS.
BOTTOM LINE?
After doing this cursory review on Burns and McDonnell, it seems rather apparent that they leverage their position as a large employer to extract maximum benefits from the city, while simultaneously choosing to grow and contribute to the economic vitality of the non-KC Missouri suburbs and state of Kansas.
Do you think KCMO should grant an exclusive no-bid billion(+) dollar construction project to a company whose management team are non-residents? Have you ever wondered why Mayor James, Troy Schulte, and many on the KCMO Council seek to impress and enrich non-residents? Follow the money-trail and your questions will be answered.
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