City Election and issues
It's almost time for candidates to file for the single Warrensburg City Council seat open this year. Debbie Arwood has already announced she plans to run fo reelection. I hope she has some articulate opposition who will bring up these issues:
1. Tax giveaways for business. I'd like to see a candidate specifically make an issue of the Hawthorne Transportation Development District (TDD), aka the "Wal-Mart tax." The candidate also needs to address the tax breaks granted through Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NID) and any other incentives that diverts property tax or school tax from the intended recipients.
2. Economic Development. I'd like to see what candidates have to say on the various organizations that purport to work for economic development. These include the former Warrensburg Area Economic Development Corporation (just renamed Johnson County EDC - wonder what Holden & Knob think of that), the Warrensburg Industrial Development Corporation, the tourism tax given to the Chamber, and whatever other ones are hiding out there.
3. Nanny Government. Various groups are trying to impose mandatory curbside recycling and smoking bans. I want to see a candidate who will stand up for the free market system on such issues as these.
4. Private Property. I want to see an absolute pledge to not even consider the taking of private property for other than true government use.
5. Transportation. Warrensburg was trying to get the state to agree to a 4-lane MO-13 bypass from US-50 to DD. At least that was cut back to a single lane bypass, since it won't be very attractive to people until it connects directly into MO-13 south. I want to see a realistic approach to transportation issues.
6. Open Government. I'd like to see a candidate openly committed to open government. Nobody knows what goes on in Council "study sessions" because the media doesn't attend them. It makes it too easy to skirt the intent of the Sunshine Law while technically complying with it. I'd also like the city to take the initiaitve to electronically announce ALL meetings (by entities they've created) subject to the law, such as the Tourism Advisory Board of the Chamber and various economic development and financing groups. If the City has created or recognized the organization by ordinance, the City should announce the meetings.
I'm sure there's more, but here's agood start for some ambitious campaigner.
In Liberty
1. Tax giveaways for business. I'd like to see a candidate specifically make an issue of the Hawthorne Transportation Development District (TDD), aka the "Wal-Mart tax." The candidate also needs to address the tax breaks granted through Neighborhood Improvement Districts (NID) and any other incentives that diverts property tax or school tax from the intended recipients.
2. Economic Development. I'd like to see what candidates have to say on the various organizations that purport to work for economic development. These include the former Warrensburg Area Economic Development Corporation (just renamed Johnson County EDC - wonder what Holden & Knob think of that), the Warrensburg Industrial Development Corporation, the tourism tax given to the Chamber, and whatever other ones are hiding out there.
3. Nanny Government. Various groups are trying to impose mandatory curbside recycling and smoking bans. I want to see a candidate who will stand up for the free market system on such issues as these.
4. Private Property. I want to see an absolute pledge to not even consider the taking of private property for other than true government use.
5. Transportation. Warrensburg was trying to get the state to agree to a 4-lane MO-13 bypass from US-50 to DD. At least that was cut back to a single lane bypass, since it won't be very attractive to people until it connects directly into MO-13 south. I want to see a realistic approach to transportation issues.
6. Open Government. I'd like to see a candidate openly committed to open government. Nobody knows what goes on in Council "study sessions" because the media doesn't attend them. It makes it too easy to skirt the intent of the Sunshine Law while technically complying with it. I'd also like the city to take the initiaitve to electronically announce ALL meetings (by entities they've created) subject to the law, such as the Tourism Advisory Board of the Chamber and various economic development and financing groups. If the City has created or recognized the organization by ordinance, the City should announce the meetings.
I'm sure there's more, but here's agood start for some ambitious campaigner.
In Liberty
posted by Bill Wayne @ 6:07 AM
1 Comments:
At Monday, December 12, 2005 2:58:00 PM,
Bill Wayne said…
I appreciate your providing additional scrutiny and look forward to finding out what goes on in those sessions. However, it doesn't obviate the need for the Council to conduct all their business in a forum more available to the general public.
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