RAYTOWN REPORT

Much has been written this past month about the proposed Raytown School District Property Tax increase. And well it should. The increase is the largest ever proposed for the District. It is not a bond with life cycle that will eventually end, but a continuing tax that will be levied on the homes of all the patrons living within the Raytown School District indefinitely. One thing is all too clear, the current School District Administration has set aside the needs of the teachers. If what has been written to this blog is accurate, and much of it has been verified, they have needlessly squandered valuable tax dollars that could have gone to paying salary increases to the teachers. Purchases like the old Raytown Sewing Machine Building located next to Raytown High School. The building is in such poor condition that it is expected to be demolished rather than repaired. The annual Royals junket and other amenities should not come before paying teachers a living salary. Neither should ...

THE FOLLOWING GUEST EDITORIAL IS THE FIRST OF I HOPE MANY EDITORIALS FROM SUPPORTERS AND OPPONENTS OF THE PROPOSED RAYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT PROPERTY TAX INCREASE UP FOR A VOTE ON APRIL 8TH. IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN VOICING YOUR OPINION ON THIS SUBJECT BEFORE THE 8TH OF APRIL PLEASE SEND YOUR COPY TO gregtwalters@juno.com Editorial Headline: Raytown Post endorses 25% School Levy Tax Increase. Their Reasoning: "Offering competitive salaries is the ONLY WAY to ensure the quality of education remains high..." How about that. All this time we have been told that teachers go into the profession because they "just love" children; that they find an unparalleled fulfillment in teaching others. What a letdown. The Salamander's faith is shattered. Reading the Post's editorial was like being told there is no Santa Claus. I appreciate those that teach our young. And, it is a clever tactic to hide behind the skirts and trousers of school teachers to sell a propert...

The April 8th School Bond Election is beginning to draw attention from voters. As is usually the case, proponents of the school property tax increase are singing the blues about the shortage of funds to properly run the District. In turn, opponents seem to be honing in on labor issues, and the alleged mis-spending of tax dollars for parcels of property in the Raytown area. Like a lake after a storm, the water seems to be gently rising without a hint of the turmoil just below the surface. With the above in mind, I am offering this page to both proponents and opponents of the proposed school property tax to have their say before the April 8th Election. If you are interested in speaking on behalf of either side of the tax increase issue you can send your copy (for consideration) gregtwalters@juno.com . Two guest editorials will be published on this spot before the election. Speaking of elections – the August 8th Primary looks like it may shape up into an event of local interest for t...

The Raytown Recycling Committee was created last year when Mayor David Bower and Alderman Greg Walters sat down together and came up with a short list of members to serve on the Committee. After reaching agreement on the members, the Mayor drafted a memo to the Board of Aldermen announcing the formation of the Committee. By doing so, the Mayor fulfilled the direction given by voters in the 2005 Charter Election in which voters over-whelmingly approved the formation of a Recycling Task Force. The first goal of the Committee, set out by Mayor Bower in the memo, included finding a new location for Raytown’s Recycling Center. The current location will not be available after July 1st due to the construction of a Walmart Store. At the March 4th meeting of the Raytown Board of Aldermen the Committee gave its report and recommendations. In a thorough six month search, the Committee examined over one dozen potential locations for the recycling center. Committee members Diane Krizek, Norma S...

I saw a news item the other night about some phosphorescent clouds that had been forming over the East coast in the last month. The clouds literally “glow” during the nighttime hours. Scientists at NASA investigated the phenomena and discovered that the clouds are made up of carbon and methane gases trapped in the upper atmosphere. The “glow” is enhanced by ice crystals formed in the clouds at extreme altitudes. The final verdict, the clouds are a side effect in our atmosphere of global warming. Methane gas is a by-product of decomposing waste in landfills. To keep debris at landfills from creating a toxic swamp, landfill operators “vent” the area by driving pipes deep into compacted layers of trash and debris. This allows the methane gas to escape into the atmosphere. Cattle are also large creators of methane as they digest their food. It is doubtful that most people will become vegetarians to help the environment, but there is something that can be done about landfills. Every she...