USE THIS LINK TO . . Comment
PAUL’S NOTES: Our last issue covered Part One of a continuing story covering the November 2nd Use Sales Tax Election. We have been contacted by a number of readers who corrected a misprint in the story. We reported the proposed tax increase to be 2% on all internet sales. Actually the increase comes to 2.5% on all internet sales. We have corrected the error.
We also heard from readers asking how members of the Board of Aldermen voted on placing the item on the ballot. Following is a breakdown of the vote:
QUESTION: Should the City of Raytown hold an election on November 2, 2021 to create a 2.5% sales tax on all internet sales
VOTING YES: Mary
Jane VanBuskirk, Ryan Myers, Ian Scott, Loretha Hayden,
Bill VanBuskirk,
Bonnaye Mims
VOTING NO: Derek Ward, Greg Walters
ABSENT: Janet Emerson
Paul's Rant! BY PAUL LIVIUS
STEALTH ELECTIONS and
how they work.
On November 2nd registered voters in Raytown will decide the fate of a new 2% sales tax on items purchased over the internet. The controversy here is not that the city is asking voters for more in tax dollars. That in itself is nothing new. The City of Raytown is ALWAYS asking for more in tax dollars, fee increases and property tax valuations.
What is controversial is the City is holding the election at a time of year when there will not be any other items on the ballot. This will prove costly. Jackson County Election Sources estimate the City of Raytown will have to pay upwards to $60,000 just to hold the election.
November 2, 2021 is an “off year” in elections. There will not be any state, county or orther special elections scheduled in Raytown on November 2nd.
If other jurisdictions were to hold elections at the same time, Raytown's share of the cost would be reduced dramatically.
WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF STEALTH ELECTIONS
STEALTH (noun)
An action to avoid detection. The act of doing something slowly, quietly and covertly, in order to avoid detection.
Supporters of the 2.5% Use
Sales Tax want a low turn-out election. They believe they can muster the votes
by targeting certain demographic sectors in Raytown to pass what will prove to
be a very expensive tax on the backs of Raytowners.
Who are in those sectors?
It could be any group with close ties to the City of Raytown. It could be members of a civic organization, a business closely tied to the city, a church, a social club, any group supporters feel they can persuade to vote "yes" on a stand alone election.
If you do not fit that demographic, do not expect to hear from tax supporters reminding you to vote.
FUN FACT: Who will
pay the 2.5% internet tax if it is approved?
Any resident or business living or operating within the city limits of Raytown. Non-residents are not subject to the 2.5% internet sales tax. If approved, non-residents will not pay the tax.
NEXT WEEK: Interesting statistics showing who will be impacted the most by the 2.5% Sales Use Tax on internet purchases. Will you fit the profile?
USE THIS LINK TO . . . Comment
 |
| BY GREG WALTERS |
This is sooooo interesting.
Apparently there is a young woman in Raytown who received warnings from the City of Raytown over Property Code Violations. Not sure what the violations were. Not even sure if it matters.
So this young woman decides to create some art to go in her front yard. Next thing you know her artwork is on one of the local television stations.
The city then tells her she must take the artwork down.
The artwork is a fully dressed (human) mannequin standing straight up with a “goose head” cleverly placed where a human head would normally be. For those who like the small details. The goose head even has a hat.
At the feet of the “goose woman” is a small flock of geese who appear to be doing what geese do best . . . wander around.
The picture goes viral on the Web . . . someone posts on the internet that they have started a petition to allow the “goose lady” to stay in the front yard. According to the last read-out we saw – over 10,000 signatures are on the petition.
I question the 10,000 figure -- which is one third the population of Raytown. But, to be fair, it was broadcast over a very large metropolitan area.
The artist that created the “goose woman” is then contacted by her landlord who tells her to remove the “goose lady” from his property.
So the “goose woman” is dismantled. The flock of geese are removed from the yard.
This being so close to Halloween, we have a feeling it may not be the last time we see the “Goose Woman of Raytown”.
We did receive a post from one reader who wrote the Goose Woman statue makes as much sense as the $2,000 worth of artwork leased by the city for a temporary showing of a supposed moonscape. The writer also pointed out the Raytown's budding young artist even went to the trouble of changing the clothes on her artwork on a regular basis.
We wondered, so we checked. What other news organizations have picked up on this story. The local FOX News affiliate (WDAF-TV) ran a story. The young lady and her friends also put up a video tribute to the Goose Woman as well. Both are well done.
Use the following links to hear . . . "the rest of the story". (click on links)
FOX NEWS: RAYTOWN GOOSE WOMAN
From the Goose Woman Creator: REQUIEM FOR THE GOOSE WOMAN
USE THIS LINK TO . . . Comment
Comments
I have had enough. I voted NO three years ago when they tried to raise the this use tax. I will vote NO this time as well. Especially since they have upped the rate to 2.5%.
Don't worry too much about the city going broke. I watch the last meeting. They plan to raise fees on utilities for when streets are cut into. Makes sense until you figure out the benchmark they use to raise those fees is to see what other cities are charging.
If you want your driveway repaired be ready to pony up another $100 on top of the bill for a city inspector to drive by at 5 miles an hour to inspect it!
This tax and tax and tax has go to stop. Might as well be now.
Run your city more efficiently and you will have plenty of money.
I hope that there is a very large turnout on Election Day!
Andy Whiteman
So I wonder, if I sell my old lawnmower on Craigslist, will I be on the hook to collect the "use tax" from my buyer?
Have a great day Raytowners, cooler weather and rain are coming!
RN
Wow. RN, index finger to nose tip. You're dead on. "DITCA" would be the appointed acronym.
75K is so yesterday, however. They'll round up the initial salary to 3 figures...being all cutting edge with their fingers on the pulse and whatnot.
(Shh! On second thought, let's NOT give them any ideas...)
The point of the editorial was very clear. We ALL pay the sales tax. If the 2.5% sales (use) tax is approved . . . anyone shopping on the web will pay it.
Here is what is wrong with sales taxes in general:
Sales taxes are regressive. Sales tax takes a larger percentage of income from low-income earners than from high-income earners. It is in opposition to a progressive tax, which takes a larger percentage from high-income earners.
So it is not really a matter of which age group is paying the most tax. It is a matter of simple economics. In this case, those who have less income pay a larger percent of tax (of their income) than those with more income.
That may be why most governmental bodies do not pursue sale tax initiatives. They collect their taxes through property value. That way those who have more, pay more.
One other point. Using an example of a $100 purchase cost $2.50 is misleading. How about $5,000.00 purchase. You will pay $125 additional on that purchase as well.
Don't be so sneaky. People see through your smoke and mirrors of an example.
Raytown Trafficway from 59th to 63rd Street and Blue Ridge Cutoff from 59th to 63rd Street.
Please, please, please, tell your neighbors and friends to VOTE NO on increasing our sales tax by 2.5%.
Ver respectfully,
Chris Inlow
Oh, do not worry, the City of Raytown is far from bankruptcy.
Make no mistake about it. This election is being held in an off year election cycle. The cost of it will run about $60,000. Does that sound like a city that is "bleeding money", when they could hold at a more regular time of the year. If held in August or next November of 22, the cost would be cut considerably -- we place the savings at about $40,000.
Make not mistake about it. The mayor and his minions believe they can hoodwink their political base to follow them like lemmings to the sea. That is why he blind-sided the Board of Aldermen with this very sneaky surprise election.
We checked the record. There was not one single meeting held on holding an election in November before it was thrown to the Board of Aldermen for their stamp of approval.
I see the City Council is considering an ordinance to spend $35,000 for a study to determine if city employees are being properly compensated.
Here is a list of what is currently offered city employees:
The City of Raytown offers a comprehensive benefit package including:
• Leave time – Vacation, Holiday, Sick, Bereavement, Jury, Military, FMLA.
• Retirement – City Funded Defined Benefit Pension Plan, Missouri Lagers L12. A 457b
plan (matching, through Nationwide and/or ICMA-RC) is available.
• Legally Required – FICA, Unemployment, Worker’s Compensation
• Health & Welfare – Medical, Dental, Vision (through MPR), and Group Term Life insurance
(through Cigna). Long term and short-term disability (through Cigna) is available on a
voluntary basis.
• Miscellaneous Benefits – Tuition Reimbursement (subject to budgetary constraints and
approval), Employee Assistance Program, IRS Section 125 medical and dependent care
reimbursement accounts, HSA contributions, car allowances, phone allowances,
supplemental life and other insurance products, shift differential.
Good for them. I hope everyone deserves to have a living wage with benefits.
Oooppps! Someone forgot to the the City Council to study the question before they decided to hold a Special Election to try to sneak the 2.5% sales use sales tax for the cost of $40,000!!!
Shame on them!
I guarantee you I will be voting NO on this outrageous sales use tax.
Thank You, RN
What a bunch of double talk! It's not a new tax . . . you do not pay it now. But if it passes on November 2nd you will pay 2.5% on every purchase you make on the internet.
The flyer says "it is a new way of collecting tax revenue from online retailers and out-of-state vendors".
The online retailer and out of state vendor will not pay the tax. YOU WILL PAY THE TAX. The vendor just collects the tax and forwards it to the county, city and state.
ON NOVEMBER 2 VOTE NO.
This sale use tax proposal from Myers and McDonough does not guarantee where the money will be spent. A Municipal Bond would carry that guarantee. The bond holders through bond covenants would guarantee where the money would be spent. To break said bond covenants would be a criminal act.
I think that is why the Myers and McDonough are not too interested in municipal bonds.
If you want to know what I've been doing besides "sitting on my hands", please feel free to contact me anytime you wish to discuss. I would love the opportunity to hear your thoughts and explain my goals for the city.
Derek A. Ward
Alderman, Ward 5
just more proof it is a SNEAK ELECTION on Tuesday, November 2nd. Ask your neighbors and friends to remember to go vote NO against this unfair sales use tax.
I Voted YES on the Public Safety Sales Tax a few years back and have been very delighted in the additional officers we have had because of the millions in tax revenue that has generated, we are a much safer community for it! I hope they are as responsible with this new windfall in revenue as they have been with that tax.
After we get the new Police Sign, maybe we can get another statute like the one at the pocket park, shouldn't cost us more than another 15 or 20,000 this time with the quantity discount. I also think adding more tulips to the medians would be a nice touch, we don't have enough in my opinion.
Greg Walters
Alderman, Ward 1
816 517 6852
I decided to put a large "VOTE NO" sign in my yard and asked on here where I could get one. Then I was reminded that I live in a house where it takes two to say "YES" and one to say "NO" and accordingly, there will not be a sign in "OUR" yard.
Thanks any way Greg.
BTW, I believe both of us will be no votes.
regards, Raytown Newbie
The secret is out folks. The sneak election has been exposed. It is time to let the self appointed leaders in Raytown to learn that it takes more than repeating slogans on the internet to pass this 2.5% Sales Use Tax.
What irks me the most about this tax is the city will not even discuss how they intend to spend the money if the tax passes. Been down this road before. It goes nowhere but to frustration on city leadership that believe it is more important to waste money on electronic signs in front of city hall than take care of its citizens.
Count me, my wife and neighbors as definite NO votes next Tuesday.
"The use tax burden falls on the consumer to calculate and remit the tax to his or her state government. Therefore, if the seller does not collect the tax from the purchaser and the transaction is taxable, the purchaser is responsible for remitting the use tax to the state."
So if a vendor ie: Amazon, Ebay, Walmart or any other online seller does not collect this tax then I am supposed to keep track of my online purchases and report them to the city????
With millions of sellers on Amazon, Ebay etc, how am I supposed to know who collects this tax or not?
This whole concept is beyond the pale. The city makes no explaination about how they plan to collect the tax.
"Shall the City of Lee’s Summit, Missouri impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, currently 2.25%, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval, the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action? A use tax return shall not be required to be filed by persons whose purchases from out-of-state vendors do not in total exceed two thousand dollars in any calendar year."
Note Raytown's ballot language...
"Shall the City of Raytown impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales
tax rate, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval,
the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action?
Come on! Everyone wants this! Jump on board or you will be left behind.
Subtle intimidation to say the least. Apparently it did not work on the good people at the rda meeting. Good to read and learn.
By the way, Greg, thanks for the editorial. You cut through all the smoke and mirrors very well. I promise you. I will be casting a NO vote this coming Tuesday. I urge all of your readers to do the same!
I don't know about the rest of the citizens are right now but I know I along with so many others in my age bracket Live on a fixed income everything is going up because of our government's failure to to manage this Virus that is plagued our nation.
I known as well as everyone else out there on social security that weyare not going to see the type of increases to cover the cost increases to cover purchasing necessary items for basic needs of comfort and survival rather whether it's groceries or medication.
Our great leaders of the city of Raytown with the exception of what I understand is two believe that our resources are unending and ready to met evert demand they place upon us.
Well you might have played that card he spared back on me when I was a young 19 year old getting drafted and sent over to Vietnam being told it was my civic duty to my country, to God to the Constitution, to end the spreed of Communism.
Unlike that young boy I once was I learned quickly to fight to stay alive. I also learn our government lied to us about benefits. We never got welcome home.
Oh I could be bitter, but instead instead i have learned to stand tall and to speak up when I against the tyranny imposed upon us by government at every level.
I am not saying our city needs resource funding, but when I have heard as well as myself asked questions which remain unanswered and/or have seen others is viciously attacked in public or public fora asking questions or disagreeing with this tax by current and former elected officialsit is time to go public with my questionsand concerns.
When I am told the city is hurting for money I have ask why? I have heard there standard Response but how much did insurance go up because a city employee who should have known better didn't follow the letter of the law and the city was sued and lost.
The city's 1st go to comment always is for public safety but safety but let us not forget we passed a public safety sales tax years ago since that time the city has pondered off the the ambulance service now allowing for a 100% of that funding to go to the police department.
I have question as well as others why is there a police car parked outside of Walmart. Several eected officials said it is in case a person is arrested the officer can take them on in using the patrol car. Oddly, other officers show up walk the person out to their patrol car.
When I was asked why an officer was at my neighbors house for medic reasons I was told to leave and never given an answer.
I have other neighbors who have been told their are no officers currently Available when they call for service but is that because again they are at Walmart or on calls that shouldn't be and what about the other issue with all the top all the top ranking officers that you never see out on the street why are we paying someone to set and do secretarial work when we get hiwhen we could hire a civilian.
Don't even get me started on the mismanagement of our codes department it is an embarrassment that they are not proactive. We do we have elected is active.
Enough is enough if our elected officials truly want additional funding from us they need to stop the lies and attacks of those against those who don't share their opinions. They need to correct the problems at city hall that are adding unnecessary expenses. They must stop the patting of each other on the back and telling everyone at city hall how professional they are When they can't even complete the job for which they are being paid.
Perhaps in the end, I am a bitter 80 some year old Vietnam Veteran that is just sick and tired of the lies presented to me for the service I provided to this country.
I know of too many other streets in a lot worse condition.
This is just bad management by individuals that have no business managing anything.
Count me as a no vote tomorrow morning. As a city Raytown is over-taxed. I checked out the sales tax schedule from Jackson County. We are Number 3 when it comes to ranking how much we pay in sales tax in Jackson County. In the property tax area we are number 2!
Sorry guys. Not this this time. Count me as a NO vote.
This election is unique. The pro tax side worked overtime to keep the news of an election even being held with the hope of turning out their base. Their campaign issues have been little more than sloganeering, and now in its final days, pulling out the "fear" card by trying to leave the impression this money will be used to fund the police exclusively.
If that were the case, they should have put that promise into the ballot issue.
They did not they did not because if it passes, none of the tax dollars are earmarked for anything.
WE BELIEVE THERE IS A BETTER WAY.
Alderman Derek Ward and I believe a better solution for Raytown's tax needs can be found in the creation of a property tax, with bond covenants that will guarantee where the money will be spent.
We urge you to turn down this flawed tax proposal. Give us a chance to bring a BETTER AND MORE BALANCED PROPOSAL to the voters.
Next April there will be municipal elections in all of Eastern Jackson County. It would be the perfect time to bring forward a common sense proposal that is fair, balanced and most importantly, guaranteed to be spent as it is promised.
Please remember to vote. Ask your neighbors and family to turn this unfair and unbalanced tax use proposal that promises NOTHING to the voters in Raytown.
It proved what a lot of you have been saying. It did not even have how much the tax will cost us. Thanks to your reporting it is already known to be 2.5%. It says the money will be used to improve city streets, public safety, city sewers and city services.
But not one detail of exactly what they are going to do. Meanwhile the mayor is all over facebook telling people the money will be used to make the police department bigger and better.
These Raytown Forward people are what is wrong with our local government. They made broad promises that mean nothing. They think they can trick people into voting for a tax by repeating nonsensical slogans like "for a better raytown".
Unbelievable. All the effort they put out and all I come away with is no serious guarantees or promise of how they will use the money.
When this campaign started I was inclined to vote yes for the tax. Strange as it may sound, the ones who convinced me to vote against this tax are the ones that make empty promises.
Not this time. I will be voting NO!
Yesterday they allowed both sides of the ballot issue to post their opinions, butI noticed that the one in opposition has now been deleted.
This has me glad I have not voted yet as my yes vote was just changed to a NO.
I don't like bullies and Raytown doesn't need them.
Best way to stop a bully in an election is to vote against what they are supporting.
All I can say is WOW; I have not heard such fantasy talk since some family members that over promised to pay people back come their tax refund.
I am warning you just like I warned the rest of the family don't give money to anyone that over promises and has no self control on their spending.
So if you had plans to do some internet shopping up until that date, the additional 2.5% sales tax will not be collected.
The other thing I'm wondering about, which has been mentioned here, is how will it be collected and reported.
If I buy a $1000 riding lawnmower from someone on Craig's list, how will the city know? Will I become a criminal if I don't report the purchase?
This could end up being pretty messy. And if it does, the tax could go away as quickly as it appeared. IMHO, that is.
Anyway,
Have a great day Raytowners.
RN