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| BY GREG WALTERS |
Sales Tax Questions on Tuesday, April 7th
The City of Raytown has used a direct mail campaign and web advertising to "educate" the Raytown Public about two sales tax ballot questions to be decided on April 7th.
In our view any effort to inform voters of the facts is good politics. So, with the help of “artificial intelligence” we are adding to the wealth of information available to the voting public.
The two questions we will be voting on April 7 are two sales tax renewals. One is for Public Safety, the other for Capital Improvements.
How much will the two sales taxes cost taxpayers?
The two taxes will be funded by sales tax on retail sales. The following list shows the combined tax rate in Raytown for most retail transactions.
- Missouri State Sales Tax
- Jackson County Sales Tax
- Raytown Sales Tax
- Raytown Fire District Sales Tax
- Special Swope Park Zoo Sales Tax
- Your total Sales Tax Rate equals.................8.862%*
If you shop at a retail business located in a Special Tax District, such as:
• a Community Improvement District (CID)
• a Tax Increment Financing District (TIF)
- Your total Sales Tax increases to..................9.475%*
These "Special Tax Districts" are financed in part by consumers through an additonal sales tax at stores like Walmart, Sutherland Lumber and others located in so-called "Tax Improvement Districts."
How will the money collected by the two sales taxes be spent?
If
voters approve these two taxes the life span of the taxes will be ten
years each. One tax question asks for renewal of a half-cent
tax for transportation.The other tax question asks for a three/eighths-cent tax for
capital improvements.
Simple majorities by voters are needed for approval of each tax.
According to information from the City's website the tax revenue produced from the two taxes will be spent on . . .
CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT SALES TAX: Will be spent on police equipment, city equipment, and storm water projects.
TRANSPORTATION SALES TAX: Will be spent on street maintenance, salt, brine and other materials and services for effective snow removal operations.
It
is important to note the two tax proposals do not mention any
specific streets that will be repaired if approved by voters.
Please remember to vote on Tuesday, April 7th.
16 comments:
I guess we're having a two question election for a couple of tax plans. That election could have been part of another election but since it's so darned important we need to spend 30K to make it happen.
Also on my mind, our formerly quiet town is now looking for ways to impeach aldermen. If this is related to Latrice Thomas- isn't that an admission that her removal by the mayor was not legit? I guess another 30K for the "hired gun" attorney will make everything right. Don't kid yourself.
What happened with the speed bumps or humps idea? The mayor has a negative opinion of speed bumps. Got it.
I was hoping that in Raytown we might be able to avoid some of the controversies that bigger cities have. We could be looking at ways to approach the growing "un-housed" issue. We could be looking at how to create a better learning atmosphere in our school district. We could be looking for ways to afford litter cleanup. Is everything hunky dory at the bowen apartments now? Is there anything that can be done about landlords who will not maintain properties?
What we're doing here instead is trying to find ways to impeach aldermen, and arguing about whether or not the mayor has overstepped his authority. The matters currently at the top of our city government's agenda, are a result of bad decisions. It's just my opinion and it's worth what you paid for it, but maybe it's time to consider that the best person to have as a mayor or alderman might be someone who isn't afraid of saying "I don't know," instead of one who knows everything.
Tomorrow we will have a choice to either continue two sales taxes or say we are tied of additional expenses that unlike tariffs actually have a say on how things impact our families. The up and down instability, thanks to one individual who keeps playing with setting tariffs is hurting families like those in Raytown. His need to be some great general like Eisenhower is causing gas prices to slowly continue to climb. Broken promise promise of lower food prices continues to leave many hard working Raytown families struggling.
Now Raytown could lessen this a little!
It gets worse from men who what folks like in Raytown to pay higher sales tax and sales tax on services all so the rich pay less.
All of these leaders, just like our own mayor are tied to the republican party.It is time we say enough is enough and no more taxes.
Tomorrow i've made my decision and i'm voting no!
Conflicting interest you decide:
Earlier today, someone shared a post where the Raytown Chamber of Commerce is endorsing the two tax questions that we will all vote on tomorrow. This normally would seem acceptable and expected, as it would be a win for the City of Raytown. What's the problem with the endorsement? Is the city has been running funds through the chamber for things like the upcoming world soccer games. NO vote of the people!
NO vote of the Board of Aldermen!
The unknown is the dollar amount and even more important; how is the money really spent. I wonder if anyonehas sunshined the city and chamber to find out the specifics. Yes, non-profits who received taxpayers money must respond to specific questions related to those funds to include the meetings minutes from the non-profit.
With unanswered questions related to the funding from City Hall, and now an endorsement from the Chamber doesn't this say vote "NO".
Let us all start sunshining a little bit more and more than just City Hall.
Tomorrow VOTE NO!
I understand the mayor has been celebrating the victory last night. He knows the city is going to be hurting for money.If he doesn't bring alderman Thomas back ASAP. We live on the Western side of Missouri and the courts here are very generous to individuals that have to sue when their civil rights have been violated as was done with Ms. Thomas. The longer the miss thomas, it's not returned to the her seat because of the mayor violating state law.The more money she will be entitled to through the courts. The more alderman that decide they know right from wrong; when the right they only know is to protect the mayor we'll only help the increased payout to Ms. Thomas. The reality of this whole fiasco is a former police officer should know right from wrong; should know they have to follow the law. However, we are now at least thirty thousand dollars in the whole, because the mayor broke the law. It will be interesting if the board does the right thing, and removes not alderman Thomas, but the person that decided they were above the law.
Thanks for all the information on next Tuesday's meeting. It should be an interesting one. Personally, I think the fact that city hall has drug this out for nearly a year is an indication they have done some thing wrong and are trying to figure out how to make it look that they have been sooooooo professional!
When are Mayor and a subset of our Board of Aldermen don't have a clear understanding, of the state laws. To include failing to to action against the Mayor and any staff members involved in the illegal removal of an Alderman, it is not surprise to find a Raytown police officer out in front of Walmart. Not that the officer be in front of the store in itself is a problem, but the car next to the office parked in the fire lane is illegal. It only brings to question what other things are the police or other department looking the other way because the Mayor didn't specifically tell those departments what to do. One would believe with the negative spotlight put on the city because the Mayor believes state laws don't protein to him nor should he be required to follow the process that he would require the city to start enforcing all laws to at least give the appearance he was not targeting a specific Alderman for winning an election against one of the Mayor's yes men. Raytown is the eyesore of the metro and the Mayor's behavior and inability to led is the root cause.
Writing my tax check this coming week knowing it’s going to fund fraud makes me sick!
Raytown Board of Aldermen,
At the March 17th Board of Aldermen meeting last month, only three
Aldermen were present on the dais or via zoom, for a scheduled meeting
where the only agenda item is the very legally dubious impeachment of an
alderwoman. This is the first time a scheduled Raytown Board of Aldermen
meeting failed to reach a quorum at least since 2021. I am preparing to
file complaints with the MO MEC, MO Auditor, MO AG, and other
institutions accusing Raytown of coordinated quorum failure, multiple
procurement & Sunshine Law violations, and failure to engage the public
in good faith according to Raytown's Code of Ethics and Municipal Code -
all of this in the commission of evading accountability for the
obviously illegal & harmful voter disenfranchisement that occurred on
June 26th of last year. That Mrs. Thomas is a black woman, famously a
demographic systematically barred from politics, and that her defeated
opponent Mr. Myers, who was nominated for a MML award last fall despite
not being in office, is a white man further aggravates this issue.
I see the board members who have actively supported this harmful
trajectory and the ones who have not - one of whom has acknowledged
multiple times US citizens' "growing distrust of government". I want to
remind you all that you volunteered for this policy-making position,
even asking for the public's support, and that conflict is an essential
part of your role, not just saying yes to spending bills twice a month
without question. I'm sorry that you have joined a governing body with
people who take chances, care little about their public perception, and
whose integrity is only as far as accountability will reach them, but
the time has come for you to openly confront this problem and anyone who
caused it. On March 17th last month I emailed all of you a concept for a
resolution to this matter. If you truly believe that an unsubstantiated
tax delinquency justifies these numerous procedural violations, then
we'll see how the regulatory agencies and the public respond. All
Independence incumbents lost their races last week. US citizens are done
with corrupt politicians.
Nelson Randolph
5201 Sterling Ave
My name is Christopher Wooderson, and I am a resident of Gregory Heights in Ward One. I’m writing to express serious concerns about the growing number of speeding incidents and traffic accidents along Gregory Boulevard, Blue Ridge Boulevard, and Hunter Avenue—particularly in the school zone area.
Before COVID-19, these streets were regularly patrolled by traffic enforcement, and their presence helped maintain safe conditions. Since those patrols were discontinued, traffic speeds have increased sharply, and many residents no longer feel safe walking with their children or pets. The problem has become especially severe on weekends, particularly Sundays, when traffic volumes are notably higher.
We respectfully request that the City of Raytown review traffic data for these areas and reinstate regular patrols or other enforcement measures. Additionally, we encourage the city to explore traffic-calming improvements, better signage, and enhanced pedestrian safety protections to restore safety for our community.
If necessary, I am prepared to gather signatures from local residents in support of these actions. However, I hope the city can act proactively to protect our neighborhood before further incidents occur.
Thank you for your time, attention, and dedication to public safety.
I watched last night's meeting. What i found most interesting was a report at the end of the meeting by Greg Walters about a couple of meetings he had attended of the Raytown Fire Protection District. Nothing wrong with that! I think our city officials and fire officials should be keeping in touch. What was most interesting was Bonnaye Mims response. She had been appointed by the Mayor the positioin of Fire District Liaison. Did some checking with a buddy of mine at the Fire District. He attends ALL of their meetings (two a month). He says so far this year Ms. Mims has a perfect record. SHE HAS NOT SHOWN UP FOR ANY OF THE MEETINGS!!!
By the way. Greg gave a solid report report to the Board of Aldermen. He told of the Fire District joining in on the upcoming World Cup Soccer Tournament. Their plan is to provide an extra Raytown Ambulance to be on call for the Tournament.
Last time I checked.All government meetings are open to the public unless they have legitimate reason to go to closed session. I also would like to understand why any citizen who attends any other government meeting would not have the right to bring things forward before the board of alderman.If there was an impact overall to the citizens of raytown. The outburst by alderman mims needs to be investigated and potential sensor for her outcry.As again, any citizen, including a fellow setting, Alderman should be allowed to share what they learn about another government entity.
Joe Cramer was spot on last night about the police and failed enforcement of vehicles in handicapped spots not authorized o be in them and the expired temp tag issues we all see in our city.
These comments from Cramer come at an appropriate time as just a few meets ago Mayor McDonough stated we have to trust the Department of Revenue as they are a governmenta gency .
Mr McDonough the police department is also a government agency, but as Cramer told the government body the police are not doing their job correctly.
McDonough do you still stand behind the fact that the Missouri Department of Revenue got it right, when your own beloved police department can't get stuff right?
If the Mayor don't like you, he don't anyone to like you. Dirty poltitics at its finest...Or dirtiest.
"...whose integrity is only as far as accoutability will reach them." Not sure about the correctness in a grammatical sense, but the TRUTH of that is beyond question.
To Mr. Wooderson, thank you for your professionalism. Again, I'd have to ask about speed bumps, What's not to like? I can't imagine a more cost effective step against maniac drivers. Speed bumps don't get tired, never get sick, never take vacations. They work 24/7/365. $200 at Grainger. The same 30K for the lawyer could purchase 150 speed bumps.
Maybe there's more to this whole impeachment/disenfranchise story than we're hearing. If there's more to tell, I'd like to hear in from the mayor. As an above comment mentioned, it does seem like there are other things that deserving of our attention.
The problem is the city will spend at least 10 times on that special attorney. All because the Mayor's friend didn't get re-elected.
That is just on the low end.
When is the mayor going to admit he is wrong and serve himself and his fellow board members, as well as a few citizens that seem to be his cheerleaders a fine meal of crow.
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