Latest news with #Copley
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
City looks to put more money into Hotel Topeka, here's why
TOPEKA (KSNT) – City leaders are looking to put $291,000 more into Hotel Topeka. Following two executive sessions in a special meeting on Monday, the Topeka Development Corporation decided it will move forward with requesting another round of funding. Since the city owns the hotel, it is required to make up for any operational losses from Hotel Topeka. At the end of last year, the TDC approved the budget with a net operating loss estimated at $870,000. Since Hotel Topeka is not generating enough revenue to cover its expenses, the city needs to invest more money into the hotel to help make up the deficit. 'This was a request from the management company based on their projections through the end of June for the expenses to make up this shortfall, which was the $291,000,' Assistant City Manager Braxton Copley said. The hotel currently has an overall annual occupancy rate of approximately 30%. Copley says even with the hotel operating with minimal staff and expenses, Hotel Topeka is still projected to have a net operating loss of $870,000 in 2025. The council will vote on this new investment at Tuesday's city council meeting. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Sky News AU
01-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Sky News AU
'It's a love language for us': Delta Goodrem makes rare comments about her husband-to-be Matthew Copley following glamorous hen's party celebrations
Aussie pop star Delta Goodrem has shared rare comments about her relationship with longtime partner Matthew Copley, as the countdown to their wedding begins. The 40-year-old singer-songwriter celebrated her hen's party over the weekend aboard a luxury yacht in Palm Beach, joined by close friends including former Nine presenter Airlie Walsh and Today show entertainment reporter Renee Bargh. Goodrem, who has long kept her relationship with Copley out of the spotlight, explained why she prefers to keep details of their romance and upcoming nuptials under wraps. "He chooses music, but he doesn't choose this," the Born to Try singer told Stellar. "It's a love language for us (performing together), but I do love keeping us as a sacred house, too. That's important to me." Delta and Matthew, who are based in Los Angeles, have been together for six years and are believed to have met through their mutual friend, fellow Aussie singer Conrad Sewell. "Music is how we met, it's what we both do," she told Stellar in an earlier interview. "I have an amazing partner and we live a good life and we get to tour the world doing what we love to do." The Sydney-born performer, who was previously engaged to Irish singer Brian McFadden and has been romantically linked to Mark Philippoussis and Nick Jonas, has always described herself as someone who values deep, lasting relationships. "I'm somebody who loves to go deeper. I'm all about long-term friendships and relationships, and I love those people with all my heart," she told HELLO! magazine in 2020. "When Matt and I work together, it's really easy to go straight to the core of our feelings because we're living and breathing life together all the time. It's wonderful to work with him." In 2023, the couple launched their own record label, ATLED Records. "I started ATLED Records and premiered the first song live on stage! What a day…!!!" Copley wrote on social media in July that year. "Getting to play music anywhere is special for me, playing music anywhere with my love is even better, playing music with my love with my family in Malta was so incredible!" With Delta set to perform at Hackney Empire in London this May, it's understood the wedding will likely take place in June or July.
Yahoo
28-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Kansas Legislature steps back from terminating popular affordable housing tax credit program
Rep. Sean Tarwater, a Republican from Stilwell, convinced the 2025 Legislature to reduce by two-thirds the amount of state income tax credits available to incentivize construction or rehabilitation of low-income housing statewide. Since 2022, Kansas has used the tax credit to make faster progress on addressing the state's housing shortage and advocates of the credit opposed the cutback touted by Tarwater. (Sherman Smith/Kansas Reflector) TOPEKA — Assistant city manager Braxton Copley pleaded with Kansas House members to reject a proposal to end the state's participation in a tax incentive program shown to be successful in promoting construction or rehabilitation of low-income housing. Copley, representing the city of Topeka, stood at a microphone in February at the Capitol to address Rep. Sean Tarwater, chairman of the House commerce committee and the sole public proponent of a bill eliminating Kansas' low-income housing tax credit, or LIHTC, on July 1. Copley wasn't alone in opposition to the bill. Nearly 40 organizations and individuals offered testimony denouncing details and timing of House Bill 2119. 'Simply put, government cannot afford to construct and manage a sufficient amount of housing to meet the needs,' Copley said. 'Developers are unable and unwilling to construct low-income housing because the low rents will not allow them to achieve a market rate of return. The LIHTC program leverages tax credits to induce private developers to construct affordable housing by providing them a market rate of return.' In exchange for state and federal tax credits, the affordability of the incentivized housing units was assured for terms of 15 years or 30 years with covenants placed on the real estate. Copley said undercutting the state's approach to LIHTC would exacerbate homelessness in communities throughout Kansas. Tarwater, a Republican from Stilwell, listened as a string of community activists, investors and bankers expanded on Copley's thesis. 'I must say there are 39 opponents and I'm the only proponent, evidently,' Tarwater said. 'This is not fair. You guys are going to need more people.' Fast forward two months, and Tarwater pushed across the finish line on the final day of the 2025 legislative session the contents of House Bill 2289, which included a modified version of the much-maligned HB 2119. Instead of deleting LIHTC in July, the program would survive, on a shorter financial leash, until 2028. 'This is not exactly what we wanted when we set down this road,' Tarwater said. 'We took a page out of Ronald Reagan's book, and we're going to take what we can get today and fight for the rest tomorrow.' Tarwater objected to the ultimate cost of a program adding each year to tax credits that had to be honored by the state. Over a 10-year period, for example, the compounding effect of $25 million annual allocations of LIHTC tax credits could result in a state obligation of $250 million. The figure wouldn't represent a direct expenditure by the state of Kansas, but would reflect the amount of future tax revenue foregone by the state as investors redeemed credits against their state tax liability. Last week, Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly signed the bundled bill rather than veto the measure and push the issue to the 2026 Legislature. The new Kansas law set a maximum on the amount of state housing tax credits issued this year at $25 million. In the final three years of LIHTC, only $8.8 million in annual credits would be available from the state for investors in affordable housing. The law discontinued the state's LIHTC match for investors receiving the 4% federal low-income housing credit, but retained the state match for developments qualifying for a 9% federal low-income housing credit. Sen. Stephen Owens, R-Hesston, led negotiations on LIHTC legislation for the Senate. He viewed the final bill as a compromise that resulted in a diminished incentive, but provided a window of opportunity to convince lawmakers it should continue. 'This came to us from the House as a complete elimination of the low-income housing tax program,' he said. 'Recognizing that there's also some value to this program, the Senate's position was to go back in and reduce it by about 70%.' The program is managed by the Kansas Housing Resources Corporation, a self-supporting, nonprofit public corporation tasked with helping Kansans gain access to safe, affordable housing. Emily Sharp, of the state Housing Resource Corporation, said substantial reduction in annual tax credit awards and deletion of the 4% program would diminish the state's ability to fill wide gaps in housing. There will be a bigger scramble for the remaining credits, she said. The 2028 sunset to the LIHTC should be concerning to communities struggling to meet housing demand, she said. She said a 2021 state housing survey was conducted in collaboration with the governor's Office of Rural Prosperity. The first Kansas assessment of its kind in 30 years showed an acute shortage. It was estimated the state needed to add at least 3,800 units annually, but was falling far below that level. The National Low-Income Housing Coalition estimated Kansas had a deficit of 50,000 affordable housing units. 'We need more houses,' Sharp said. 'Nationwide we're seeing a shortage of housing. Kansas is no exception.' In 2022, the Legislature and governor responded with passage of the affordable housing tax credit act that put in place a d0llar-for-dollar match by the state to the federal low-income housing credit. The objective was to expand the volume of tax credits available to investors. The credits could be sold to generate revenue for construction of housing. The lower debt assumed by developers meant tenants could be offered below-market rental rates. The state's rate of housing development through state or federal investment tripled after implementation of the Kansas reform law three years ago. In 2021, state and federal government resources were associated with construction of 1,028 homes in Kansas. In contrast, 6,500 Kansas homes were funded in 2023 and 2024. Ryan Vincent, executive director of the state Housing Resources Corporation, said the elimination of the state's tax credit for housing — currently scheduled for 2028 — would mean that Kansas lagged further behind other states dangling lucrative incentives to attract housing investment. 'Eliminating the KAHTC would send a negative message to current and potential investors, signaling that housing development is a risky prospect in our state,' Vincent said. 'Potential partners will avoid investing in an uncertain environment.'
Yahoo
10-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Coventry Town Council president seeks charges over disputed sexual threat
COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) — A spat among Coventry Town Council members regarding legal invoices boiled over Tuesday night after the president accused a former councilman of violently threatening her. Coventry Town Council President Hilary Lima publicly accused former Councilman Scott Copley of making a sexually violent remark about her during a private phone call with Vice President John Paul Verducci last month. The threat was made while discussing whether she was going to put a specific item on a recent meeting agenda, Lima said. This comes after Copley and another councilor — James LeBlanc — submitted their resignations, claiming that Town Solicitor Stephen Angell blocked them from accessing unredacted legal invoices and refusing discuss the matter with them. 'The lack of transparency and accountability has become intolerable,' Copley wrote in his resignation letter. 'His blatant disregard for his responsibilities only confirms my belief he is no longer acting in the best interest of the town.' LeBlanc said in his resignation letter that Angell hasn't been following the Coventry Town Charter. He was also stunned that Copley was the only other councilor to question why Angell hasn't been held accountable. 'The silence from the rest of the council was deafening,' LeBlanc said. LeBlanc and Copley accused Lima, Verducci and Angell of repeatedly ignoring their requests to add certain items to upcoming meeting agendas regarding the supposed violations. Of those requests, LeBlanc said one included voting on an amendment that would allow the town council to terminate Angell's contract if he violates the Town Charter. 'Every single Coventry resident should ask themselves why council leadership would not want this amendment to be voted on,' LeBlanc wrote. 'The residents should also be demanding answers from the rest of the council members as to why they have failed to take swift action to protect the charter, the town and its constituents.' Tensions ran high Tuesday night as several Coventry residents demanded transparency from the town council regarding the legal invoices. 'It is infuriating and insulting to the residents of Coventry that those entrusted to uphold our local laws and values so easily turn a blind eye when it is politically convenient,' resident Brittany Boyer said. 'The people of Coventry see what's happening and we're done being quiet. We're tired. We're fed up, and change is coming because we've all had enough.' In his resignation letter, Copley said he filed a formal complaint with the Office of the Disciplinary Counsel regarding Angell's behavior. He believes that's why Angell and Verducci are accusing him of threatening Lima. Angell confirmed that he was the one who reported the threat to Coventry police after hearing about it from Verducci. 'I had reason to believe this comment was in earnest,' Angell explained. Copley said in his resignation letter that a criminal investigation into their claims 'proved these allegations to be false.' 'In my opinion, these claims were made in retaliation for filing a complaint against [Angell],' he wrote. Angell told 12 News he wasn't aware that a complaint had been filed against him until he received Copley's resignation letter. 'I find it offensive that somebody would take a shot at my license,' Angell said, adding that the Office of Disciplinary Counsel won't be taking action against him because it did not see any violations spelled out in the complaint. Lima expressed concern over the lack of support, especially from women, she's received regarding the threat made against her by Copley. 'It's really hurtful that I heard women laugh and not believe the allegation when we had comments made in this room about how I'm an embarrassment to women in leadership,' Lima said during Tuesday night's meeting. 'To turn around and not believe the claim that I was threatened with sexual violence is deeply disturbing and makes me afraid to live in this community.' 'I am someone's daughter, someone's sister, someone's wife and someone's friend,' she continued. 'I hope that none of you are ever subject to this.' Lima told 12 News she has requested a temporary restraining order against Copley and wants to press charges. The Rhode Island Attorney General's Office confirmed that it is now looking into the allegations as well. Meanwhile, the town is now on the hook for two special elections to replace both councilors. It is expected to cost roughly $20,000 per seat. Download the and apps to get breaking news and weather alerts. Watch or with the new . Follow us on social media: Close Thanks for signing up! Watch for us in your inbox. Subscribe Now Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Tax incentives approved for Topeka real estate developer
TOPEKA (KSNT) – The City of Topeka approved a tax incentive plan that will spread out the cost of special assessment taxes in the Lauren's Bay neighborhood for Topeka Real Estate Developer Jim Klausman. On Tuesday, April 8 the Topeka City Council voted 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. Earlier this year, Klausman agreed to pay past-due special assessments on those properties in return for tax incentives from the city. 'Right now they're close to $300 a month [in special assessments], by spreading them out over 20 years its going to get them down to $185 per month for the ones owned by the developer because some of the special assessments or some of the assessments, the payment they're going to be making is going to be used to pay down principle on those future specials,' Assistant Topeka City Manager Braxton Copley said. Deadly crash in Brown Co. shuts down highway City Councilwoman Christina Valdivia-Alcalá asked Copley if this is the first time the city has ever used a CID for a housing development which Copley replied 'yes'. The motion passed 8-2, with Valdivia-Alcalá and Councilman David Banks in opposition. More than 15 years ago, the City of Topeka struck a deal with a now defunct developer to create a new housing development in the Auburn-Washburn school district near Southwest 47th Street and Southwest Wanamaker Road. Since then, 16 lots at Lauren's Bay Estates have sat empty while taxes and special assessments go unpaid. After months of negotiations, the developer agreed to pay the city $2.25 per square foot in past due specials for a total of $525,000. That figure exceeds the total specials debt of $423,000. The developer would also pay off back taxes on the properties. For more local news, click here. Keep up with the latest breaking news in northeast Kansas by downloading our mobile app and by signing up for our news email alerts. Sign up for our Storm Track Weather app by clicking here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
