Northeast News
February 4, 2015

Kansas City’s municipal election is on the horizon and the hot air political promises are already starting to fly. Mayor Sly has gone on the record promising a variety of tax increases and, you guessed it, more cash for the toy train streetcar. If those taxes aren’t enough, you will be expected to foot the bill for a new downtown convention hotel. All of this, while the city’s basic infrastructure continues to be largely ignored. This newshound has had enough of this tax and spend mentality that seems to pervade government entities these days. We certainly understand the need for taxes and the providing of basic city services, but taxing the public for the purpose of legacy building is a whole ‘nother matter.

The mayor calls the taxpayer funded downtown hotel “the missing piece” to completing the downtown landscape and making this cowtown a top contender for major conventions and meetings. Plan on this expensive proposition to be brought up as a companion piece to the building of a spiffy new billion dollar airport. This news-dog isn’t buyin’ the hype and doesn’t think you should either. Here’s a note to the candidates vying for elected gigs a city hall: Instead of promising the moon and stars to a tax weary population, stick to the boring basics and focus on infrastructure needs like streets, sidewalks and streetlights. If the mayor wants to build his legacy, let him do it with his cash, not the taxpayers.