Letters on sales tax referendum, Kobach’s brain, low taxes

Sales tax needed for paratransit

November’s sales tax initiative includes four projects, all of which are important to the entire population, with the transit system improvements being of particular importance to the population of Wichitans with disabilities.

Few question the vital nature of the water system improvements. If Wichita is to have a dependable and sufficient water supply through 2060, the project must be undertaken and would otherwise be funded through increases in everyone’s water bills. Likewise, as any road user will attest, Wichita’s roads require maintenance.

The greatest impact of the initiative, however, is to the transit system. Failure to pass the initiative would be disproportionately felt by the paratransit system and individuals with disabilities who depend on it for independence. The two systems are linked in service areas and funding.

Federal regulations require both the rider’s point of origin and the destination to be located within three-quarters of a mile of a fixed route and would need to be strictly followed, resulting in significant portions of the city falling outside of the service area for paratransit. Consequently, it would be common for a person to be eligible for paratransit service but have his workplace or doctor beyond the eligible zone. The impact of this problem would increase as greater numbers of people become unable to drive because of age, illness or economic considerations.

Whatever objections to the initiative may exist, the benefits of a “yes” vote are far outweighed by any disadvantage. Plain and simple: A “no” vote is a vote against those who use paratransit.

Vote ‘no’ on tax

Everyone is clear that Wichita needs water during a drought, more new jobs, better public transportation and streets without potholes. But the projects that the Wichita City Council has identified are not realistic solutions to these problems.

Now, we find out that the City Council recently voted to sell $368 million in bonds. Not once did city officials mention these bonds at any of the public meetings they held to try to convince us to vote for the 1 percent sales tax.

Instead, they want us to vote to raise sales taxes by another $400 million to pay for some of the same projects they are funding with these bonds.

For example, the bonds include $147.3 million for the city’s failed aquifer recharge project. This is part of the millions the city has already spent on the false hope that enough water will be underground during a drought. Now city leaders want us to give them another $250 million from a 1 percent sales tax on top of what they have already wasted.

There are better ways to conserve and supply water, create jobs in a diversified economy, get people where they need to go and fix our streets. The City Council has no assurance that once it spends $400 million from a 13 percent increase in sales tax that any of these objectives will be met.

This November, Wichita voters are smart enough to vote “no” and tell city staff to take the time needed to come up with real solutions.

Different view

Suppose we view the increased sales tax from a different perspective. We can begin by encouraging all the unemployed in Wichita to relocate to places such as North Dakota, where work is available. Then we can convince a few of Wichita’s larger employers to relocate and take their employees with them.

That would leave enough water for those who remain, and fewer cars will cause less damage to Wichita streets.

Kobach is tired

Secretary of State Kris Kobach is having memory problems. He can’t seem to remember to pay his property taxes on time or procure proper building permits, nor recall how much time he has spent out of state moonlighting as a consultant. Recently the Kansas Supreme Court had to help Kobach remember how to interpret a Kansas statute concerning candidates withdrawing from elections.

New scientific discoveries may shed some light on the cause of his forgetfulness. Functional MRI studies have shown that deception takes more brain energy than telling the truth. The brain has to work overtime maintaining the deception while simultaneously suppressing the truth. Thus, deception can be exhausting work.

Deceptive political positions have long been Kobach’s modus operandi. A short list includes disenfranchising thousands of Kansas voters while promoting the ruse of voter fraud, participating in “voter caging” while serving as the Kansas GOP chairman, and forming a political action committee targeting “enemy” Kansas legislators while serving as the “impartial” officer of their elections. That’s enough chicanery to make any brain exhausted and forgetful.

Kobach’s brain needs a long vacation. We can all participate in his recovery by voting him out of office on Nov. 4.

Keep taxes low

U.S. companies are moving jobs overseas to avoid our high federal taxes. A large pharmaceutical company recently moved its headquarters to Ireland, and another company moved half its operations to Canada for the same reason. Even many individuals move to states that have no income tax, such as Texas and Florida.

I applaud Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature for lowering taxes on Kansans. These lower rates have been in effect less than two years, and the results will be seen as businesses choose to come and to stay in Kansas. That is unless we follow the disastrous agenda of the federal government and elect tax-and-spend Democrat Paul Davis.

This story was originally published October 2, 2014 at 7:06 PM with the headline "Letters on sales tax referendum, Kobach’s brain, low taxes."