ELLISVILLE • More than 30 residents delivered an impassioned plea to the Ellisville City Council Wednesday: Don’t give $15 million in tax incentives to a multibillion dollar corporation.
“It’s like seeing Warren Buffett at an intersection with a tin cup,†said Ellisville resident Mary Ann Dust.
In the end, the pleas mattered little.
With a 5-2 vote, the council gave final approval to tax increment financing to build a Walmart on 16 acres on the south side of Manchester Road, just west of Kiefter Creek Road.
Only newly elected Mayor Adam Paul — who has a vote on the council, but not veto power — and Councilwoman Michelle “Shelly†Murray voted against the proposal.
The meeting drew more than 100 people and was held at Ellisville Elementary School instead of City Hall to accommodate the large crowd.
People are also reading…
Over nearly two hours, 52 people addressed the council about the issue. Of those, 14 were in favor of giving Sansone Group, the local developer, $11 million in tax increment financing and $4 million in other tax subsidies to build the $49 million Walmart.
Tom DiCarlo, president of commercial real estate firm Pangean Properties, said the project would be a “shining example of what can be accomplished for Ellisville’s economic recovery.â€
But residents opposed to the project painted a grim picture, arguing that other Walmart stores have left empty big box shells along Manchester Road when they closed. They warned of nightmarish traffic and local businesses that would shut down because the smaller stores can’t compete with the retailer’s low prices.
“Walmart is a known bully throughout the nation and Mexico,†said Julia Dolan.
Dolan is a member of Ellisville Article 9 Alliance, a recently formed group of residents. The group is exploring how to use referendums or ballot initiatives to thwart the TIF or to recall council members who support it under Article 9 of the city’s charter.
Dozens of residents at the meeting wore stickers with the letters “A9A†to show their allegiance.
“Instead of supporting the residents, the city is pursing this shiny object,†Dolan said.
Other residents lamented that the development would mean the demolition of the 100-unit Clarkchester apartments, whose residents must now relocate.
“I’m sorry,†said Elizabeth Schmidt, who lives in the complex. “But I don’t believe you were elected to do what you are doing — throw people out of town.â€
The development is projected to bring in about $600,000 a year in sales tax to the city.
Sansone Group said the project is not possible without financial assistance.
The TIF proposal would let Sansone keep 100 percent of new property taxes and 50 percent of new sales taxes generated at the site for development-related costs. It would last for up to 23 years but is expected to be retired in 14 years.
Former Councilman Charles Pavlack argued that the project would be good for the community and urged the council not to be bullied by the crowd.
“This is not democracy, he said. “It’s a representative republic. We elect you to guide our city, not to do our bidding.â€
A county TIF commission earlier had voted 7-4 against the proposal, which meant that it needed at least five votes to move forward.
Paul, the mayor, who campaigned as an opponent of the TIF, asked the council to consider the entire region, not just the city. The new store, he argued, would only take sales tax dollars from other cities.
“Walmart is not in the business to make a community better,†he said. “They are in business for their shareholders.â€
He added, “We are adding to the problem on a local and regional level.â€
EDITOR'S NOTE: An earlier version of this story gave an incorrect number of units in the Clarkchester Apartments complex. This version has been corrected.