Raytown School Board (C2) results

If you believe candidates Walters and Tubbs message about their opponents raising property taxes meant:

You did not get your city property tax bill lowered by about $10 because the aldermen voted to compensate for a drop in assessed property values by raising the rate.

Then you were not deceived.

On the other hand if you believed that the amount you paid in city property taxes increased from what you paid the year before.

Then you have been deceived.  

Start of EDITORIAL comment

Politicians who use deception to win elections are not worthy of being trusted with political power. Only you know if you were misled, and only you can decide if you want to elect someone willing to deceive you.

Did the politician at your door make you feel the amount of city property tax increased? Did they make you think it was a large amount?

End of Editorial comment

FACTS

The Hancock amendment requires that cities lower the tax rate if property values go up and allows (not requires) that they may then be raised if property values go back down. It also allows for cities to increase the amount of revenue by the amount of inflation or 5%, whichever is less.

The rate goes up and down based in if property values rise or fall.  The rate was dropped in 2004, 2005 and 2006 when property values increased.

Here are the last 10 years of the city property tax rates.

Historically the rate in 1973 was $0.75, in 1980 when the Hancock amendment was passed, the rate was $0.49.

I was born on June 20, 1985 in Kansas City, MO. I was born into a loving family that had two brothers and a sister. Two years later my younger sister joined the group.

I spent the first thirteen years in the metro, then we moved to Kansas for a couple years, followed by a trip to Colorado for a year and a half. Then, all the way back to Lee’s Summit where I lived until I moved here to Raytown (except a stay with the US Navy).

My first job was when I was 14. I worked at a small restaurant in Kansas while I was going through high school. Followed by a second job, at the same time, with a dog groomer. I got my GED when I was 16, started college, and got involved in student government.

By the time I was 19 I joined the Navy. While in the Navy I advanced quickly and was promoted to Gunner’s Mate 2nd Class (E5) in less than 3 years. I served with many units whose duties ranged from providing seaward security to Anti-terrorism and force protection missions including harbor and homeland defense, coastal surveillance, and special missions. We also worked with intelligence and communications divisions. My unit was deployed worldwide to detect, deter, and defend an area, unit, or high value asset.

I have worked with the American Red Cross (BCLS instructor, Wildfire fighteing, damage assement), Jackson County Court Appointed Support Advocates (helping distressed youth), Boy Scouts, and many others.

I am a member of the Kansas City Baptist Temple, and active in our youth ministry, focusing on 6th grade through Jr. High.

I have been to 48 of the States, Holland, Germany, Iceland, Iraq, Kuwait, Quatar, Peru, Mexico, and Coasta Rica.

My Chief goal is decreasing juvenile delinquency. I plan to do this by adding Community service to the court fine structure, and creating a juvenile court. Both of which have been proven to work, neither of which has been brought forward by the current Board. As the crime rate decreases more businesses will plant themselves here. We also need to be more involved as a community and get back to knowing our neighbors. We need to teach our children by our example instead of just our words, when we tell the Police Department we are going to give them the 2% they’ve been promised, we need to give it to them, especially after 3 years and a sales tax is passed.

I also believe lowering sales tax on unprepared (raw) food will help many families in need afford food to eat, instead of having to choose between which of their children get to eat, or whether they eat unhealthy food instead of fresh food.