Don't Miss David Raasch's Letter Today In The Examiner
Submitted by ELISA on July 2, 2009 - 9:05am
Bloggers if you don't take The Examiner you should. You will want to read David Raasch's letter today on page A4 Thursday, July 2,2009 to the editor. Can someone please do a blog on how people can read it??? Please and Thanks xox
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Thanks for pointing my letter out to people, Elisa!
The timing of its printing wasn't exactly good, in the sense that not many people are likely to have read it.
I just found out this morning that at TONIGHT'S city-wide Neighborhood Watch meeting, the Police Chief is going to provide information, as well as do a Q&A session, on this upcoming sales tax increase. That's at 7 PM tonight ...at the Truman Memorial building (NOT at Truman High School, where most such meetings take place).
And the Englewood Business Association is about to announce that they've got an informational meeting about the sales tax set up to take place on Monday, July 27th, at 6 PM at Van Horn High School in the library. It sounds like the Police will be presenting this information as well.
Mr. Heacock emailed me, in response to my letter. I won't relay all of what he said here. But his main points seemed to be that I had a lot of mistaken information regarding the tax in my letter...and that folks could get information about the tax from the City's website.
I pointed out to him that when I ask myself "Gee, I wonder what's going on in Independence today?"... I don't automatically think to go to the City's website. I pick up my copy of the Examiner (or go to their website)!
I should have taken the Examiner to task as well! I don't think they know what the phrase "investigative reporting" means! You would think the proposal of a tax increase during a recession would ignite and incite them to doing some fact-digging, on behalf of the people! But no.... a person like me... who already works full-time and is involved in multiple small organizations... has to take time out to write a sarcastic letter to try to drum up some questioning about this tax!
( By the way, sorry I haven't been back to these blogs in a while. Man, I thought I was cutting back on my "to-do list" this year, but it seems to be just as full as ever.)
Mr. Heacock offered to meet with me to discuss the details of this tax. To that I said, fine, but I really think he should be trying to educate the entire City!
Now, I know that City staff can't be seen as "promoting" a "yes"-vote on this tax. But in my humble opinion, there's WAY TOO MUCH "quiet" going on about this tax!
Given that we have less than a month left until the vote, this really, really looks to me like somebody's hoping that as many citizens as possible do NOT learn about this tax...until some squad of people loyal to the folks behind this tax increase idea gets out there and votes it in.
Now, folks, I'm normally not that paranoid. I don't see conspiracies everywhere. And, to be honest, when I initially heard that we were going to have a sales tax increase to fund additional manpower in our police force, I was (a bit reluctantly) for it! My thinking was: At this rate, I either pay police or I'll be paying my insurance company higher premiums and paying to replace stolen merchandise! (Break-ins into sheds, garages, homes, and cars are rather high in my part of Western Independence.)
But once I heard a BRAND NEW POLICE BUILDING was going to be in there?
My next thought was: What? Has our City government suddenly taken a lesson from Congress? What else is in there?
I've heard RUMORS that some money for the Fire Department is in there, though I don't see that information in anything on the City's website. Anybody know anything about that?
As I recall, Mr. Heacock originally announced this tax back in January... but had to back-pedal a day or two later because (apparently) citizens reacted quite negatively to it. Where's that reaction now? Are things so much better for everybody six months later?
You know, my boss doesn't give me a raise...in the middle of a recession....in return for me doing "business as usual". No, instead, I'm asked to take on more and more responsibilities....as the company does a hiring freeze.
I too want to see the additional officers that this tax would bring... but you know.... there's this little game called "SimCity". Ever played it?
In it, you act as if you're the entire city government wrapped up in one individual. At the start of the game, you don't have much money, and so therefore, you can't build fancy stadiums, airports, or other expensive things for your people. You've got to stick with the basics: roads, police stations, and fire stations.
Those are the BASICS of city services.
There is something VERY WRONG with having to ask the citizens of Independence for a tax increase to support what should be BASIC SERVICES.
Forgive me, Elisa, I've turned my reply into a blog post!
One more thing.... and this relates more to the chain of replies here. Mr. Heacock, in his email to me, said that... regarding our pancake breakfast and BBQ fundraisers over here for the Englewood Police Substation.... he had never heard anybody over here say that they considered this to be a burden!
Well, ummm.... gee... you want to build a $9 or $10 million police station over on 39th street....using public funds to pay for it, yet we can't get thrown a $6000 per year bone?
I'm happy to help out at those fundraisers. But do I have other things I could be doing that are important to me? Hell yes !
That said, I used that fundraising issue / example not because I actually would vote for this thing if they threw the substation $6000 per year. I used it as an example of how the City needs to do some "creative fundraising"... and this sales tax increase is a poor example of it.
The people behind this sales tax increase proposal need to publish this information specifically stated in ballot language because promises and list have no legal standing. It would be great to see this in The Examiner as David Raasch wrote.
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The letter is very good.
This really points out the dispropornate plans the leaders have for the town.
As the Peacock said at a council meeting about the new animal shelter, he said it’s
In the center of town, At 78 Hwy miles east of 291?
The city cares little about Maywood, and they’re little Pooolieeccee station,
They would much rather shut it down.
They want to, as shown shift town center to the Mall, Hockey arena, Center
Point, 39th street.
This entire ordinance needs to be revisited. It has no expiration date. It doesn't delimit the use of the funds in any way other than the broad term "Police Services", and. It doesn't provide for any excess funds received. It also does noy provide for citizen oversight. Badly drawn ordinance. If they want my vote, they will revamp it.
That's my litmus test on any sales tax issue I vote on since the birth of TIFF, CIC,TDD, NID and the whole host of sales/property taxes. It must have a sunset and transparency to show the taxpayer what services we're spending the money on and when it sunsets we can revisit what's been accomplished and if it delivers and there's value there should be no issue with it passing. Apparently cities prefer to keep it vague and explain what you didn't understand at a later date. It's pretty tacky if not downright embarrasing the citizens have to have a pancake breakfast to pay the police depts rent.
You may find it embarrasing and tacky for citizens to have a pancake breakfast to pay the police departments rent but they are proud to do it. I think it's creative problem solving at it's finest. Way To Go Englewood keep up the good work. This is the type of team work we need for citizens and police. Money can't make this happen. This is about partnerships, trust and respect. It takes time to build but once you have it you got it and you never want to loose it. They are lucky!!!
Elisa, You're misreading the point, it's not the citizens being tacky, but the 3rd largest city in MO that can't seem to pay rents for a sub-station. It tells me either it's not needed and this is a compromise the city and neighborhood have came to or the city won't fund it. Much like a deadbeat dad and child support and that's tacky. You've made it pretty clear you prefer hope and prayer over a financial solution. I value the importance of community, neighborhood, hope and prayer. But, in the end, solving this is going to take more than more pancake batter and neighborhood fellowship.
The 3rd largest city in Mo. has made it pretty clear to me that my hope and prayers are all I have to stand on my corner with. You are right solving our problems will take much more than pancake batter and neighborhood fellowship but it's a great start. When you take away hope in a persons heart or neighborhood you destroy them. Sometimes financial solution and hope can only be found through prayer. My prayer is we find both.
Excuse me Elisa and dshrout, but is not Independence the 4th largest city in Missouri?
Amen
U r right on point, the Pooliceeess don't care about that little station. They keep it open to apease the neighbors
and the neighbors pay for it???
PD figures its a waste of $$$$ and man power???
The police who use the substation take great pride in it. The neighbors Love it. I don't know why you say PD figures it's a waste of $$$$ and man power. They do good things at the little station you need to check it out.
Try this:
http://www.examiner.net/letters/x1885879159/Give-us-detailed-answers-on-...
Thanks for the help!!!