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Independence, MO —
David Raasch
Independence
To the editor:
In the June 17 Examiner, Erin Burroughs (guest column, “Indpendence simply needs more officers on the streets”) wrote:
“We all know that on the Aug. 4 ballot is a proposal for a three-eights of a cent sales tax to be used entirely for the police to fund the addition of 42 officers.”
Wait a minute!
A May 19 page-one article in The Examiner (“Council approves sales tax initiative”) said:
“In addition to more staff, the sales tax could allow the city to construct a police precinct on 39th Street near Centerpoint Medical Center. The department’s sub-station at the Independence Center would remain intact.”
I like how they used the word “could” in that paragraph! Well, will it or won’t it?
Is the city going to raise our taxes – indefinitely – to build a brand new building (a one-time cost)? Also, why build? Why not use some empty retail space? The old Linens ’n Things location is open! So is the old Macaroni Grill if they need something smaller.
You know, every year for a good many years now, people in western Independence have been having pancake breakfast fundraisers and BBQ cookout fundraisers. We do this so that we can raise money to pay the rent on the police substation in Englewood. (My understanding is the rent costs about $6,000 per year.)
We do this just so we can have a police substation on our side of town.
Instead of raising everybody’s taxes and sneaking a building into the equation, I have an idea:
Maybe the police should ask the good businesses of 39th street and Blue Parkway to start having pancake breakfast and BBQ cookout fundraisers? How many of those do you think it would take to build them a new building?
The vote for this tax is a little more than one month away. Frankly, I’d like an itemized bill up front, showing exactly what we’re getting with this sales tax increase. Any contractor who’s going to do work on my house can do that. Any mechanic who’s about to work on my car can do that.
Can the people behind this sales tax increase proposal do that? I challenge them to publish this information in The Examiner!
A complete estimate, please! Show us how the money will be spent over time.
And stop saying that this sales tax is for personnel only if you’re going to build a brand new building with the money too!
David Raasch
Independence
To the editor:
In the June 17 Examiner, Erin Burroughs (guest column, “Indpendence simply needs more officers on the streets”) wrote:
“We all know that on the Aug. 4 ballot is a proposal for a three-eights of a cent sales tax to be used entirely for the police to fund the addition of 42 officers.”
Wait a minute!
A May 19 page-one article in The Examiner (“Council approves sales tax initiative”) said:
“In addition to more staff, the sales tax could allow the city to construct a police precinct on 39th Street near Centerpoint Medical Center. The department’s sub-station at the Independence Center would remain intact.”
I like how they used the word “could” in that paragraph! Well, will it or won’t it?
Is the city going to raise our taxes – indefinitely – to build a brand new building (a one-time cost)? Also, why build? Why not use some empty retail space? The old Linens ’n Things location is open! So is the old Macaroni Grill if they need something smaller.
You know, every year for a good many years now, people in western Independence have been having pancake breakfast fundraisers and BBQ cookout fundraisers. We do this so that we can raise money to pay the rent on the police substation in Englewood. (My understanding is the rent costs about $6,000 per year.)
We do this just so we can have a police substation on our side of town.
Instead of raising everybody’s taxes and sneaking a building into the equation, I have an idea:
Maybe the police should ask the good businesses of 39th street and Blue Parkway to start having pancake breakfast and BBQ cookout fundraisers? How many of those do you think it would take to build them a new building?
The vote for this tax is a little more than one month away. Frankly, I’d like an itemized bill up front, showing exactly what we’re getting with this sales tax increase. Any contractor who’s going to do work on my house can do that. Any mechanic who’s about to work on my car can do that.
Can the people behind this sales tax increase proposal do that? I challenge them to publish this information in The Examiner!
A complete estimate, please! Show us how the money will be spent over time.
And stop saying that this sales tax is for personnel only if you’re going to build a brand new building with the money too!
