Comments on: What Will KC Do About Its Budget? http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/what-will-kc-ever-do-about-its-budget.html Advancing liberty with responsibility by promoting market solutions for Missouri public policy Fri, 10 Feb 2012 02:56:48 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.4 hourly 1 By: David Stokes http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/what-will-kc-ever-do-about-its-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-1421 David Stokes Mon, 22 Dec 2008 16:19:56 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2493#comment-1421 Mr. Public, Thanks for your comment. I assume you are objecting to my comments about regional funding of cultural assets. I certainly don't assume that because something works, or does not work, in St. Louis, the same point applies to KC. In fact, as to the point on local control of the police dept., I commented on how that would be terrible for St. Louis but might work fine in KC. Suburbs in Jackson Co. are actually more connected to KC than St. Louis city and county are. At least in Jackson Co. they share in the same county government. In St. Louis, the city and the county are absolutely separate. That is why we have a regional board in St. Louis, appointed by the mayor and the county executive, which sets the property tax rate (a very low rate, by the way) to fund the zoo, art museum, science center, history museum, and Shaw's garden. There are different rates of funding for the various entities, which is why some of them still have to charge admissions, like the garden, while others are free, like the zoo. I think the regional taxing district here should be expanded to include surrounding counties, and the assets it supports should be expanded to include the symphony. That expansion could include Illinois counties. While that might be more difficult then just expanding to other Missouri counties, it's not impossible. For example, Metro, the St. Louis transit agency, is a cross-state taxing district that includes cities and counties from both MO and IL. You make an excellent point about the Kansas part of the KC-area being larger and more affluent than the Illinois part of St. Louis, so it would be more important to include them in the taxing body. But again, while that might be hard, it is entirely possible to create such a cross-state entity to support the zoo, various museums, the World War 1 memorial... whatever the residents might choose to have it support. Now, none of this is very free-market libertarian of me, but this is another example of why I am not a libertarian. Thanks again to both commenters for taking the time to participate in the discussion. Mr. Public,
Thanks for your comment. I assume you are objecting to my comments about regional funding of cultural assets. I certainly don’t assume that because something works, or does not work, in St. Louis, the same point applies to KC. In fact, as to the point on local control of the police dept., I commented on how that would be terrible for St. Louis but might work fine in KC.
Suburbs in Jackson Co. are actually more connected to KC than St. Louis city and county are. At least in Jackson Co. they share in the same county government. In St. Louis, the city and the county are absolutely separate. That is why we have a regional board in St. Louis, appointed by the mayor and the county executive, which sets the property tax rate (a very low rate, by the way) to fund the zoo, art museum, science center, history museum, and Shaw’s garden. There are different rates of funding for the various entities, which is why some of them still have to charge admissions, like the garden, while others are free, like the zoo.
I think the regional taxing district here should be expanded to include surrounding counties, and the assets it supports should be expanded to include the symphony. That expansion could include Illinois counties. While that might be more difficult then just expanding to other Missouri counties, it’s not impossible. For example, Metro, the St. Louis transit agency, is a cross-state taxing district that includes cities and counties from both MO and IL.
You make an excellent point about the Kansas part of the KC-area being larger and more affluent than the Illinois part of St. Louis, so it would be more important to include them in the taxing body. But again, while that might be hard, it is entirely possible to create such a cross-state entity to support the zoo, various museums, the World War 1 memorial… whatever the residents might choose to have it support.
Now, none of this is very free-market libertarian of me, but this is another example of why I am not a libertarian. Thanks again to both commenters for taking the time to participate in the discussion.

]]> By: RudyT http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/what-will-kc-ever-do-about-its-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-1410 RudyT Sat, 20 Dec 2008 17:07:12 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2493#comment-1410 I've often heard it said the reason Eastern Kansas is doing so well is because of KCMO and their earnings tax. Fortunatley I don't work in KCMO so I don't pay the stupid thing but many of my neighbors do. Sooner or later there is going to be a revolt and when it happens, KCMO will be in front of the bus not driving it. They will be sorry. I hope they do go to the legislature with this stupid idea. It will give the legislature one more opporutnity to do the right thing for KCMO and eliminate the earnings tax, after they fall off their chairs laughing at the original suggestion that is. I’ve often heard it said the reason Eastern Kansas is doing so well is because of KCMO and their earnings tax. Fortunatley I don’t work in KCMO so I don’t pay the stupid thing but many of my neighbors do. Sooner or later there is going to be a revolt and when it happens, KCMO will be in front of the bus not driving it. They will be sorry.

I hope they do go to the legislature with this stupid idea. It will give the legislature one more opporutnity to do the right thing for KCMO and eliminate the earnings tax, after they fall off their chairs laughing at the original suggestion that is.

]]> By: JohnQPublic http://www.showmedaily.org/2008/12/what-will-kc-ever-do-about-its-budget.html/comment-page-1#comment-1408 JohnQPublic Fri, 19 Dec 2008 22:36:05 +0000 http://www.showmedaily.org/?p=2493#comment-1408 Why do you think that just because something was good for STL it will be good for Kansas City? Did St Louis plan cross the State Line and include the Illinois communities? In Kansas City, a substantial portion of our affluent population is in Kansas. St Louis has a city/county government - Kansas City does not. We have many communities that are suburbs of Kansas City that are not, in any way, controlled or regulated by Kansas City. Why would those suburban communities bow to the wishes of Kansas City? By far, their biggest budget issues are within the control of the elected officials of Kansas City. Until Kansas City demonstrates that it is serious about getting its own house in order, I do not see any suburban communities, on either side of the state line, lining up to help them. Why do you think that just because something was good for STL it will be good for Kansas City? Did St Louis plan cross the State Line and include the Illinois communities? In Kansas City, a substantial portion of our affluent population is in Kansas.

St Louis has a city/county government – Kansas City does not. We have many communities that are suburbs of Kansas City that are not, in any way, controlled or regulated by Kansas City. Why would those suburban communities bow to the wishes of Kansas City? By far, their biggest budget issues are within the control of the elected officials of Kansas City. Until Kansas City demonstrates that it is serious about getting its own house in order, I do not see any suburban communities, on either side of the state line, lining up to help them.

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