RAYTOWN REPORT

by Greg Walters In a rare early Friday evening meeting the Raytown Board of Aldermen increased the city’s property tax by $140,000. The increased tax will be paid by all property (homes, businesses) within the city limits, as well as all personal property (automobiles, recreational vehicles). The move by the Board was in response to recent devaluation of real property by the Jackson County Property Assessment Department. According to City Finance Director Jeremy Wilmoth the tax per $100 per valuation would increase as follows if the Board approved the bill before them. CITY PROPERTY TAX RATE Old Tax Rate = .3189 New Rate approved by Board of Aldermen = .3668 PARK PROPERTY TAX RATE Old Tax Rate = .1539 New Rate approved by Board of Aldermen = .1832 The increase was approved by a vote of 7 Yes, 2 no and 1 absent: VOTING IN FAVOR OF THE TAX INCREASE: Joe Creamer, Shane Pardue, Pat Ertz, Jim Aziere, Christine White, Charlotte Melson, Jim Hamilton VOTING AGAINST THE TAX INCREASE: ...

By Greg Walters There has been a lot of comment lately about Mayor Bower’s position that we should talk to our neighbors about problems in the neighborhood. Then, only as a last resort, call city hall’s codes department for enforcement. For instance, there is an ordinance that allows for trash containers to be placed at the curb for 24 hours. Most people follow that rule. A few sometimes forget. But there is a large enough of a minority that ignore it for it to be a visual detriment to our city. Unfortunately, if appears that part of that minority works for the city’s code enforcement division. Doubt my word about the problem? Take a look at these pictures. They were taken on Sunday, August 23rd. Since there is no residential trash removal service operating in Raytown on the weekend, it is certain that the trash containers have been out longer than 24 hours. (I could have placed more on this page – but our web server limits the amount of space we use on our weekly post) The M...

RAYTOWN SCHOOL DISTRICT TAX RATE HEARING Monday, August 31st 6:00 p.m. Raytown School District Headquarters 6608 Raytown Road This meeting is a Public Hearing. Anyone in attendance will be allowed to address the Raytown School Board regarding a proposed tax levy increase for the Raytown School District. Plan to attend and be heard. Chalk One Up For the Good Guys… By Greg Walters The lawsuit enjoined by the Raytown School District to force the Jackson County Assessment Department to use out-dated property values for the assessment of property taxes has been thrown out by the Jackson County Circuit Court. In its ruling the Court declared that the lawsuit was without merit because the school district had no standing to contest decisions by the Jackson County Assessor. Since it is unlikely that any individual taxpayer will sue to have his property tax increased, it is almost certain that the assessments by Jackson County will stand. The ruling means that most property owners in Rayt...

By Greg Walters Justin Tomac wrote and asked what planning the city did for economic development before this latest scheme to create a department of economic development. This entire economic development craze began when Sue Frank was in her second year as Mayor. Then City Administrator Curt Wenson sold the Board of Aldermen on a scheme to buy the Old First Baptist Church. The Board was pretty much told that once purchased, the Old First Baptist Church property would be prime space for development. Three development companies applied for the task. We took one called Harpool and Associates. Under Harpool's watch most of the property owners were disillusioned and angry over what they saw as threats of condemnation. During this period the exodus of businesses in Downtown Raytown was accelerated by the uncertainty of the city's position on development. The city also helped Harpool develop a wooded area at 59th and Crescent Street now known as Crescent Creek. I will never forg...

By Richard Tush It seems ironic we have members on the Board of Alderman that want to pass a landlord ordinance as these same members have not spoken out against the commercial property management companies. Perhaps the answer lies within the fact these Aldermen have been supportive of these property management companies and their master plans to help boost economic development. As we drive past these properties we see that they are some of the major eyesores within our community. At Woodson Village the light post are slowly rusting away while pieces of ceiling fail upon heads of customers as they walk along the sidewalks that join the business. Many of the storefronts set vacant, but this is just one of many vacant promises from this company. The East Side of Raytown Road at 350 Highway is a ghost town of properties managed by this same company that are slowly decaying and transforming into the new icon of Raytown’s blighted future. Our mayor and aldermen believed that somehow t...