Given lackadaisical TV coverage and newspaper bias favoring establishment politicos. Tonight we offer an ALTERNATIVE perspective on the GO BOND decision confronting Kansas City.
Checkit:
It's not just about the tax increases . . . It's about the Debt!
The closer we get to Election Day the more hysteria surfaces. There is not a day goes by we don’t see another GO Bond Flyer clogging up trashcans and recycle bins. It poses the question; “If the City is spending this much money to try to convince voters to vote for these bonds, maybe there is something in them that is not so good for the voters?” We need to get emotions out of the process.
The election on April 4th contains several ballot items for the voters to consider. Foremost is the $800,000,000 123 GO Bond, which is broken down into three questions: 1-2 and 3. As we talk with voters, the single biggest concern for all these ballot questions is TRUST. The voters do not have confidence in City Hall. Broken promises have made the public skeptical about issuing an $800,000,000 debit card or blank check to City Hall. City Hall continues to “Feed the Pig”!
This “NEW TAX “ is no different than previous taxes passed by City Hall. There is no guarantee the projects mentioned in the Resolution (Exhibit A) will ever get done. This is a non–binding resolution.
This prompts the “NEW TAX” question. Kansas City is already one of the highest taxed cities in the country. If this new tax passes, what happens to all the old tax money the City will continue to collect? We’ve been paying an infrastructure sales tax for years. Will those tax dollars become unaccounted for and used for “sexy” projects like the ones, which have helped accumulate too much debt? Are we freeing up $800,0000,000 for City Hall if we pass this bond issue?
Property tax receipts secure this bond. This means property taxes and personal property taxes will be going up every year for the next 40 years. The average homeowner with a $140,000 home and a $15,000 automobile will pay almost $4,000 in additional property taxes over the life of this bond issue. That’s in addition to the property taxes they are paying now AND assuming the City will not raise property taxes again for the next 40 years. We believe this is a stretch!
Homeowners all over town and particularly on the Eastside struggle today with water bills and property taxes. As water bills have gone up, the water department tells us fewer homeowners are able to pay the bill. As property taxes go up every year for the next 40 years, there will be more foreclosures every year. The County tells us there are 3000 – 5000 properties in some form of property tax delinquency now. This number will escalate as property taxes escalate. If you don’t pay your water bill, they can shut off your water. If you don’t pay your property taxes, they can take your house after a certain period. This is a dangerous situation to put our friends and neighbors in.
In addition to the $800,000,000, our City Government is asking the voters for an “UNLIMITED TAXING OBLIGATION”. This means if any time during the life of this debt, the property tax receipts are not adequate to repay the debt, the City can raise property taxes AS MUCH AS NECESSARY to make the payments. THEY DO NOT NEED YOUR PERMISSION, they can just keep raising property taxes until they get the revenue necessary to repay the debt. This language is on the ballot.
There are other ways to accomplish the same objectives without taxing the voter’s personal property and homes.
Moody’s Bond Rating Service has already warned Kansas City about the amount of debt the City has. It is time to quit adding debt and live within our means..
It’s not just about the tax increases . . . It’s about the Debt!
Citizens for Responsible Government
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