Election Notes . . .

BY GREG WALTERS

Last Tuesday’s election was one for the record books. Raytowners turned out in higher than usual numbers to participate in the Primary Election.

No doubt, part of the turnout was fueled by many contests for seats on the Jackson County Legislature. The Right to Work issue also drew a large number of voters. This is evidenced by the extremely high number of absentee votes cast in the election. Over 400 absentee votes were counted. The majority of which were in opposition to the three Raytown tax increases.

All of that aside, the local focus was on three controversial tax increase questions brought before the voters by Mayor Michael McDonough and his City Council.

The final vote tally tells the story most accurately. Raytown voters “roared” their disapproval of the three tax proposals. All three of the tax proposals lost by lopsided landslide proportions rarely seen in issue oriented campaigns.

How did this come to pass? At the beginning of the campaign the Mayor and City Council unanimously approved moving forward with the tax increases. Though there was some dissension by some members of the governing body, neither the Mayor or any members of his Board of Aldermen publicly opposed any of the tax proposals. 

• The Mayor’s committee had crafted the tax proposals.
• The Chamber of Commerce and Downtown Main Street Association endorsed all the taxes.The City Council had unanimously approved placing the issues on the ballot.
• All three of the issues had the managerial backing of Raytown Unleashed. A popular Face Book which boasts a membership of over 10,000.
• The pro tax campaign claimed the support of organized labor. A contention that was disputed throughout the campaign by the opposition.

In other words, this election was city hall's to lose and lose it they did. Here is what they did wrong.

FACEBOOK REACTION: No doubt the Facebook Page Raytown Unleashed did have an effect on the outcome of the election. Reports of people in opposition or even just daring to post questions on the page were frustrated by learning their posts had been removed by the Administrator of the page. Some members were blocked from commenting. The heavy-handed tactics used by Raytown Unleashed administrators seem to have caused a backlash amongst its members.

HARASSMENT OF THE OPPOSITION: One of the first lessons learned in politics is that it is NEVER a good idea to harass the opposition. Consider the following story as told by Henry Carner, Chairman of a Political Action Committee named No New Taxes.

No New Taxes came together to protect taxpayers from excessive taxation and over-reach by governmental bodies in Eastern Jackson County. The group, No New Taxes, successfully defeated similar tax schemes in Blue Springs and Independence.

Carner relayed he received a phone call from Citizens for Progress. The caller told Carner, “I am calling you as a courtesy”. He wanted to know why Carner was involved in a Raytown campaign since he lived in Independence.

After being told three times that he was being called as a “courtesy” Carner had heard enough.

Carner asked if the phone call was being recorded, and being assured it was not, Carner replied, “That’s too bad, because I want you and your friends to understand very clearly what I think of you and your three tax increases.”

Carner explained, “Three tax increases at once is proof your city is mismanaging the people’s money. Those three taxes are unfair, vile and reprehensible.”

This actually backfired on Citizens for Progress. Carner went on to work to raise funds to help pay for a mailer that was against the tax increases.

More accurately stated . . .  It is NEVER a good idea to try to intimidate the opposition.

DOUGHBOYS: Doughboys is a very popular gathering spot for many Raytowners. The award winning Doughnut shop is a jewel in Raytown’s crown. It is a destination for many that actually draws people to our city. Elisa Breitenbach and her husband, Marjain, were told Raytown Unleashed allowed (with their new censorship policy) the publishing of a post on Facebook in which the poster saying they would never go to Doughboys because they opposed the tax increase.

WHISKEY BARREL: Other businesses have been threatened with a boycott for having the incorrect sign in their yard. In fact, the owner of the Whiskey Barrel, Connie Maxwell, was told her business was on a list of those to be boycotted.

This baffled Ms. Maxwell as she, in fact, did not have a sign on her property.

STATE REPRESENTATIVE JEROME BARNES Ward 5 Alderman Bonnaye Mims mailed a letter with screen shots of comments posted on Facebook by Ward 2 Alderman Jason Greene, Ward 4 Alderman Steve Meyers, and City Collector Cathy Schutte condemning State Representative Barnes for not endorsing the three tax increase.

Mims wrote, "Jerome Barnes is my friend. I will not stand by while he is unfairly attacked."

Mims continued, "The days of paying homage to self-proclaimed political bosses are behind us. We will no longer tolerate that kind of politics."

Barnes’ position that he represents everyone in Raytown, not one side or another in a local political fight, demonstrates statesmanship. His response to me when directly asked where he stood was that he would cast his vote in the privacy of the voting booth.

Well said, Mr. Barnes.

RDA AND NO NEW TAXES: Raytown lacks a regular newspaper, so any news source, be it print or electronic, is generally welcomed with open arms. The Raytown Democrat Association (RDA) stepped up to the plate by publishing a ballot in which its members  voted to oppose all three tax increases all three new tax increases.

No New Taxes mailed a city wide brochure explaining the pitfalls of the tax increases. Henry Carner explained, “We decided early on to stick strictly to the tax issue questions and to leave personalities out of the campaign”.

A FINAL WORD: The voters listened to what the politicians at City Hall had to say. Last Tuesday, it was the voters turn to speak. The question now is will the politicians listen?

Calls for boycotts of local businesses by supporters of the three tax increases are counterproductive. Do they not understand? The businesses they want to boycott pay the taxes that keep our city running.

The Board of Aldermen should renounce and condemn these tactics as  counterproductive to Raytown’s future. If they do not, the faith and trust of the voters may very well be the price they pay.

Paul is off on a road trip this week. Look for his Paul Livius Report of next Tuesdays Board of Aldermen meeting next week.