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Paul Livius Report
BY PAUL LIVIUS
Short stories of general interest are sometimes over-shadowed by more pressing news. The following stories are important and newsworthy. The Sanitary Sewer items will be of important interest to many of our readers.
Sanitary Sewer Tax Increased 5.25%
The City Administration brought a tax increase package for sanitary sewer bills to the Board of Aldermen for consideration. They asked for a 7% increase in sewer bills. Enough Board members expressed concerns of raising sewer taxes given the current debacle coming out of the Jackson County Tax Re-assessment.
After quite a bit of discussion the Board compromised on a 5.25% increase. Aldermen Ryan Myers and Ian Scott spoke in favor of the 7% increase.
Alderman Greg Walters argued that “people were hurting”, he reminded the Board that at an earlier meeting all had agreed to lower the “cost” from 7% down to 5.25%.
Alderman Bill VanBuskirk made a motion to approve the lower rate (second by Alderman Greg Walters).
HOW THEY VOTED . . . on a 5.25% Increase of Sanitary Sewer Bills
YES: VanBuskirk, Walters, Krizek, Hayden, Garza, Emerson
NO: Scott, Myers, Mims, Aziere
Discounts on Sanitary Sewer Bills
During the meeting the Board was reminded that Raytown Taxpayers
are eligible for a 3% reduction of their sanitary sewer bills provided they pay their sewer bill in a one year advance. To learn more about this opportunity call 816 737 6088. Ask for anyone in the Sewer Billing Department.
Those who pay their sewer bill with a lump sum payment a year in advance will receive a 3% reduction on their sewer bills for the same year.
Those who are 65 years and older may be eligible for a 6.5% Tax Credit paid for by the State of Missouri. Those with disabilities may be eligible for a 25% Discount on their Sanitary Sewer Bills.
To learn more about these opportunities call the Sanitary Sewer Billing Department at Raytown City Hall at 816 737 6088.There is also a 25% Discount available for those over 65 years old who have a disaThere are economic restrictions on the tax credit.
For more information on either sanitary sewer bill plan call Raytown City Hall at 816-737-6088.
PROPERTY TAX LEVY DECREASED BY 3.6%
Emergency Meeting held
to reset Property Tax Levy
The Board of Aldermen had already approved the Property Tax Levy
for Fiscal 2013 / 2014 at a previous meeting based on new figures from Jackson
County. Michael Graham of the City’s Finance Department found an error in his
final review of the tax levy.
At a rare Saturday afternoon meeting the Board voted to change the levy rate by reducing the Property Tax Levy by 3.6%. The result is a decrease of tax revenue to the city of approximately $15,000.
Tax levy rates are set by the State of Missouri. The two property tax levies affected are Property Tax and Personal Property Tax.
The Bridge to Nowhere
It rains a lot in Ketchikan – so much so, that they measure their rainfall in “feet” per year. The average yearly rainfall amounts
to 160 inches per year. I did the math on my trusty Radio Shack Dual Powered
Solar Battery Calculator – the 160 inches comes to 13.3 feet per year.
Ketchikan is also known for its Salmon. These “Alaska Salmon” return to Ketchikan every July and August to spawn. The bays and creeks
of the area are so full of this ocean going fish hat it appears you could walk
on top of the water.
Ketchikan is also the home of the infamous “Bridge to Nowhere”.
The Bridge to Nowhere is an example of governmental excess and waste.
Officially known as the Gravina Island Bridge, now commonly referred to as the "Bridge to Nowhere", was a proposal to build a bridge to replace the ferry that currently connects the town of Ketchikan, Alaska, United States, with Gravina Island, an island that contains the Ketchikan International Airport as well as 50 residents. The bridge was projected to cost $398 million.
Fast forward to today. The bridge was never fully funded, even though part of the $398 million (about one-half of the anticipated cost) was set aside by the United States Senate for construction of the bridge.
The United States Senate eventually defunded the bridge which in effect killed the project.
A road was constructed leading to up where the bridge was to be built to connect an island to service a small airport with a functioning ferry that is really kind of fun to ride on for the 15 minute crossing to the mainland.
It costs $6 per person to ride the ferry from the island to the mainland.
Raytown's Road to Nowhere
63rd Street is the “main drag” through Downtown
Raytown. Located between Blue Ridge Boulevard and Raytown Road. The north side of the
street has a number of small businesses, the back of those businesses have a
narrow alley facing what is commonly called “The Green Space” in Downtown
Raytown.
Not many people use the alley. In fact, it would be fair to say the small amount of parking spaces are used by the owners and employees of the businesses on 63rd Street.
The City of Raytown just completed spending approximately $98,000 to re-surface an area equivalent to one lane of traffic on the alley between Raytown Road and Blue Ridge Boulevard.
In our view the $98,000 would have been better spent on residential streets in Raytown.
What do you think? Take a moment and send your comment to the blog portion of the Raytown Report.
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