Letters on sales tax referendum, state tax cuts, Brownback, Medicare privatization

City needs to live within its means

The proposed sales tax increase is unfair. It would have the greatest negative impact on people who can least afford it.

The city of Wichita has taken its duties – water, streets and buses – and instead of working within its budget it is moving that burden to everyday people, to be paid almost every time they buy something.

This is not an economic development plan. It’s not a fix for broken streets and empty buses. It’s a regressive tax that will hurt the elderly and others as they purchase groceries and other necessities.

If the city wants to improve opportunities for its citizens, it needs to start by doing what all of us have to do – spend within its means and live within its budget. It’s time to put the citizens of Wichita first. Vote “no” on the sales tax.

Better option

As someone who has worked with the homeless and people in poverty for years, I believe it’s important to think about what the Wichita sales tax means for the less fortunate in our community. Normally, I would not be for a sales tax, but in this case it is the better option for two reasons.

The first is that it is very difficult for people in poverty to pay their utility bills, including water. Funding an increased water supply by adding the cost to water bills would be devastating for many. They simply cannot afford the 50 percent higher water bills that are the alternative to a sales tax (Oct. 12 Eagle).

They also cannot afford another reduction in transit services. For many people – both those who are in poverty and those with disabilities – bus service is a lifeline. This is why the Nonprofit Chamber of Services and Episcopal Social Services have endorsed the plans and the sales tax. They know how critical a “yes” vote is to those in need.

I know that Wichitans have big hearts and care about our neighbors. Please think about the ramifications for those in need as you vote on the sales tax.

Need new jobs

The article “Sales tax vote bringing home costs of future water needs” (Oct. 12 Eagle) and the negotiation problems between Textron Aviation and the Machinists union (Oct. 13 Local & State) point to the fact that we need city leaders to commit to bringing a new manufacturing sector to Wichita. Without that commitment, increasing future water availability will not be unlike upholstering the furniture on the Hindenburg.

We need to be searching and romancing companies, just as Louisiana is doing, and thereby assure the future of Wichita. We have the skilled labor force and a great place to live; now we must bring new companies to Wichita to assure that there is a need for new infrastructure in the future. If we don’t do this, the status quo is quite sufficient.

I would like to vote for a Wichita that will be a viable, prosperous modern city in the 21st century. Without a clear commitment from our leaders as to exactly what they are going to do to bring new jobs to Wichita, however, I urge a “no” vote on the 1 percent sales tax.

Pass tax plan

The Coalition for a Better Wichita says in its ads that we should “slow down” and decide what the community really needs. I don’t know where this group has been. Its members certainly were not in Wichita paying attention.

We have been deciding what we need for at least two years. There have been numerous meetings, surveys and discussions at schools, the Wichita City Council chambers, neighborhood associations, district advisory boards, churches – wherever people get together to share their concerns.

The areas covered by the proposed sales tax are the ones Wichitans were most concerned with. There are other problems, of course, but these items will give us a good start toward solving our biggest problems.

As a member of a district advisory board, I have asked lots of questions and attended lots of the meetings held to get the feelings of the people. As a politically engaged citizen and a low-income senior citizen, I am convinced we will be well-served by passing this sales tax proposal.

Tax cut working

I am a small-business owner and share an office with my father. This past spring my father was doing his taxes on his H&R Block software, but he kept running into a problem with the software because it showed he owed nothing when last year he owed about $7,000. His income was the same in both years.

This discrepancy forced him to call H&R Block customer support. After he explained his situation, H&R Block stated there was nothing wrong with its software. My father re-examined the state tax forms and discovered that self-employed individuals did not owe income taxes. He now felt what a Texan feels like.

After he discovered this, he called me with this news, because I also am self-employed. This “problem” turned out to be an incredible blessing. This was the first time in 12 years that I looked forward to doing my taxes, thanks to Gov. Sam Brownback.

What did I do with the $7,000 he saved me? I took the money that I would have normally sent to the state and spent it at the local home improvement store to finish my basement. I reinvested my savings in my state’s economy.

Thank you, Gov. Brownback, for helping Kansas and small businesses like mine. The plan is working. Please keep up the great work.

Like the results?

The people of Kansas have now seen what the political policies of Republicans look like with the policies that Gov. Sam Brownback has imposed on the state. Do you like the results?

Do you like the cuts to education? The huge tax cuts for the rich that are bankrupting our state and caused three downgrades to our credit rating? Privatizing Medicaid? His plan to take over and privatize Medicare?

If you do, then you should vote for him again. If not, vote for Democrat Paul Davis.

And if you don’t like the way our state has begun to look like a Third World country, keep in mind that the policies that Brownback instituted in Kansas are the same policies that the Republicans in Congress want to implement. Ask yourselves if you want our country to look like our state.

Vote them out

Gov. Sam Brownback and the Legislature are attempting to take over Medicare in Kansas. House Bill 2553 would allow states to opt out of all federal laws regarding health care, including Medicare. When we look at the mess called KanCare, why in the world would we think our officials in Topeka could manage something as large and complex as Medicare?

Kansas has about 450,000 people enrolled in Medicare, and any change to their coverage would at best be upsetting and at worst devastating. If our legislators get their hands on and control of Medicare money, the temptation will be strong to divert funds to plug holes in the Kansas budget.

Who will manage senior health care benefits for Kansas? How will they assure quality control? There are no answers from our governor or the Republicans. They have no assurance of continued benefits to the Kansans who actually will be affected. Their action is irresponsible and dangerous to Kansas seniors.

This bill is based on ideological grounds and does not have the best interest of seniors in mind. This November, seniors can send a message and vote out of office those who took this radical action.

This story was originally published October 18, 2014 at 7:04 PM with the headline "Letters on sales tax referendum, state tax cuts, Brownback, Medicare privatization."