PUBLIC NOTICE
BY GREG WALTERS

If you purchased either of the commemorative Cave Spring T-Shirts (pictured on the right and below) at the 200^th Anniversary of the Santa Fe Trail please read this notice.

• The shirts have been found to be defective.
• We will replace the shirt at no cost. 
• We need the defective shirt to return it to the manufacturer.

We will replace each t-shirt pictured with a new shirt of the same size and design. It is our goal to replace shirts of the design shown on this page and purchased at Cave Spring on Saturday, September 11, 2021.

Please call us at 816-842-9068 so we can re-print a new shirt for you at no cost.

BOA approves November Internet
Use Tax Increase Election

BY PAUL LIVIUS

The Raytown Board of Aldermen, by a vote of eight (yes) to two (no) votes,  have decided to hold a special election on November 2, 2021. The vote will determine the fate of a 2.5% Use Tax to be paid on all purchases made on the internet in Raytown. 

The vote was not without debate. Ward 1 Alderman Greg Walters pointed out that holding a special election on November 2^nd would cost the city approximately $60,000. The anticipated cost figure for the election was provided by the Jackson County Election Board. 

City staff had set aside only $40,000 for the election. 

However, since this would be the only item scheduled for the November election, Raytown will pay the entire bill for the election. 

Walters has suggested the Board hold off until April of 2022 or August of 2022 to hold the election. It is his understanding the Raytown School District plans to hold a school bond election in April. If that turns out to be correct, the city’s cost for holding the election would be cut in half.

If the Board were to hold off until next August the cost would be minimal to the city. That is because next August the state will hold mid-term elections. Since those elections are held in Raytown, the city would spend (comparatively) very little for their cost of holding election.

The majority of the Board believe a low turn-out election will win the election.

A number of members of the Board, led by Ward 2 Alderman Jim Aziere, spoke in favor of the November election in spite of the cost to the city. Aziere said he believed a low turnout election would almost guarantee passage of the 2.5% sales (use) tax increase.

Walters pointed out that those who use the internet are already paying a sales tax on internet sales if the company selling the item has a presence in the state.

Supporters of the tax increase said they were aware the tax is already be collected on some items but still favored the 2.5% increase.

If approved by a majority of the voters it is estimated the new “use” tax would generate $400,000 to the city.

“Taxpayers need to understand that if this tax increase is approved it will cost taxpayers an additional $400,000 a year in taxes”, said Walters.

“The last time the City tried to make this increase it was defeated by a 70% (no) / 30% (yes) vote,” continued Walters. “Given the recent tax increases on real estate and personal property in the last couple of years, I am not so certain voters will support increasing any taxes.”

OUR VIEW . . .

The City of Raytown can expect a windfall of income in its 2021 / 2022 tax year. We base this on some very simple observations.

• Raytown’s income has actually seen an increase in tax revenue due to the Covid 19 funding the last two years. One thing Raytown does not lack is grocery stores. We do not live in a food desert. Plainly speaking, the additional money handed out by the federal government has found its way to City Hall through a hefty sales tax charged on food by the city.

• We are all aware of the inflationary period our country has entered. There is not any need to debate what we all experience every time we purchase groceries, fill our gas tanks, or pay our electric bill. Each time the cost of living increases, so do the taxes collected by our local municipal governments. Raytown is not an exception.

• Real Estate and Personal Property Taxes have been on the rise. At Tuesday's meeting of the Board of Aldermen City Finance Director Russ Petry that Real Estate value in Raytown increased by 2.33%. Personal Property value increased by 7.30%. Part of that is increase is due to the rising value of homes and personal property like cars, boats, etc. Each time that value goes up, the city receives more tax dollars from its residents.

• There is a BIG windfall headed the city’s way in 2022. At Tuesday night’s meeting the Board of Aldermen unanimously approved a resolution approving its participation in the American Rescue Plan Act. The American Rescue Plan was approved by Congress earlier this summer. It is packed with 1.9 trillion dollars to spur the American economy into high gear. 

         Raytown’s cut of the American Rescue Plan Act is expected to be $5,849,965.51.

As you can see, the City is hardly strapped for funds. Perhaps it is time to give the taxpayers in Raytown a break. They already pay enough of their hard earned dollars on all sorts of taxes, fees, licenses, etc.

Our message to the Voters in Raytown . . . Vote No on November 2^nd.

 

Photo by Mecee Walters

Picture of the Week

A spider, busy at working building its web, was spotted on our back porch a couple of nights ago.

Some orb weaver spiders tear down and even consume much of the web's silk as the morning begins to dawn. 

If a prey insect is trapped in the web, the trap line vibrates notifying the spider to rush to the web, bite and paralyze the prey and wrap it in silk for later consumption.

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