Robbie Tubbs Files for Alderman in Ward 2

Robbie Tubbs announced her candidacy for the Ward 2 Alderman seat on the Raytown Board of Aldermen today.

Ms. Tubbs is a 12 year resident of Raytown. She has a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Business Administration and is the Office Manager of Mobile Hydraulic Equipment Company, located in North Kansas City, Missouri. Ms. Tubbs is a member of St. Bernadette’s Church.

“Our property taxes keep going up, and our property values keep going down,” said Ms. Tubbs. “When my opponent in this race voted to raise our property taxes after the County had devalued our property . . . well, let’s just say it was then that I began to seriously consider running for Alderman of Ward 2,” continued Tubbs.

On August 28th of 2009 at a Special Friday Night Session of the Raytown Board of Aldermen the City Council voted to increase property taxes by 13%. The new rate set an unprecedented high water mark for Raytown Property Taxes.

“I was disappointed that my Alderman did not stand up for the people of Raytown,” said Tubbs.

When I talk with residents in Ward 2, the issues of taxes, code enforcement, a rising crime rate and the lack of city services are a common theme.

An article in the Kansas City Star placed Raytown’s sales tax as the second highest in the metropolitan area. Tubbs sees the increases in the sales tax as tied directly to tax incentives the city has handed out to large corporate concerns in Raytown.

“If you check your sales receipt at Walmart you will find Raytown’s sales tax leading the KC area at 9.1%,” said Tubbs.

Ms. Tubbs says she is happy to see new businesses coming to Raytown. But she believes it is not the local homeowner’s job to underwrite these new businesses with increased taxes.

When asked to sum up her candidacy Ms. Tubbs said, “I just want the people of Ward 2 to know that if they elect me as Alderman, I will not forget that my first responsibility is to them, not an out-of-town commercial developer.”

Ms. Tubbs is a long time observer of the politics of Raytown City Hall. This is her first attempt to run for public office.