My belief is that if you injected them with truth serum and took a straw poll of every elected officeholder at Platte County you would find there are as many of them opposed to the county’s proposed jail tax as there are in favor of it.
Case in point: One of the most eye-opening stories of the week is the news that Platte County Treasurer Rob Willard has come forward with his public opposition to the Platte County Commission’s jail tax proposal. As you know by now, the county commission is proposing a half cent sales tax for 20 years to generate more than $408 million to construct and operate a county jail expansion that would house nearly 500 inmates in a Downtown Platte City.
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See the front page story for details, but basically Willard–like a lot of us reasonable observers of local government–believe the county commission’s proposal is too much for too long. That’s the most polite way to say it.
Even the county commission’s own Committee for Public Safety didn’t recommend anything close to that amount. That committee recommended either a quarter cent tax for 10 years or 3/8th cent tax for 10 years. Not a half cent for 20 years. The committee never discussed proposing a tax that would generate hundreds of millions of dollars for “operations” of the jail.
The county commission’s ballot proposal is ridiculously over the top. And salute to folks like Willard being willing to come forward to say it.
Willard’s opposition is notable for a variety of reasons. As county treasurer he posed questions in an email to another county official early on–like the same day or the day after the county commission voted to put this boondoggle on the ballot. On his Facebook page, he shared a link to a Landmark news article that for the first time explained to the public that this is not an $85 million jail tax this is a $408 million jail tax. Both the email and the sharing of the link were noticed by Scott Fricker, presiding county commissioner. You may recall about a year ago we wrote a column telling you about Fricker’s combination of thin skin and a quick temper. I think he has improved somewhat in that regard but apparently there’s still some work to do, because Willard’s questioning of the county commission’s ballot proposal prompted Fricker to show up in Willard’s office in a loud tirade. Fricker’s vocal display was heard in real time throughout many areas of the county administration building, and news of his tantrum immediately made the rounds around the county complex and throughout the community. Multiple local business people contacted me in the days after it happened to be sure The Landmark was aware of it. We were already aware.
Then in recent days the county commission began distributing “educational” flyers to voters with a link to a website featuring “educational” material about the ballot proposal. On those flyers is a line indicating the pieces were “Paid for by Platte County, MO, Rob Willard, Treasurer.” These flyers are supposed to be “educational,” not campaign pieces. So do they really need a “paid for by” declaration? That’s a fair question. If the county commission’s true intent is to “educate” and not “campaign” using the $80,000 of your money they’ve budgeted for their “educational” effort, does it require a “paid for by” on it?
The paid for by line implies that Willard supports the jail tax. He does not. The county commission knows that, so I’m guessing they had a good chuckle among themselves by putting Willard’s name on the jail tax “educational” pieces. Willard knew nothing about the placement in advance. I asked Willard his reaction to seeing his name on those “educational” pieces that, by the way, are misleading for the information the county has intentionally left off (for example, their “informational” website says this is an $85 million project when it in fact is a $408 million project that would require the largest tax increase in the history of Platte County).
“I was surprised to see my name listed on the piece. The county treasurer had never been listed before on a county ballot issue informational piece. Actually, in over 40 years of politics I’ve never seen it on any city’s or county’s election informational pieces,” Willard told me this week. “Whatever the motivation, whether it was a strict reading of an ethics commission opinion or my position on the tax, I don’t want it to be a distraction from focusing on the jail tax proposal.”
Good for him for wanting to keep the focus on the jail tax proposal. Because when voters take time to learn the real facts about this proposed half cent, 20-year tax they’ll find out it is excessive and a dumpster fire.
Riverside takes its fireworks sales very seriously, you guys. Kudos.
How many fireworks tents in Riverside this year? I don’t have an official count but it’s impressive. Gotta be in double figures. I was driving down Gateway and counted at least eight just on that stretch of roadway.
So I suggest heading to Riverside if you’re looking for a good selection of whistlin’ bungholes, spleen splitters, whisker biscuits, hoosker doos, hoosker don’ts, cherry bombs, Fricker firestorms, nipsy daisers with or without the scooter stick, and some whistlin’ kitty chasers.
The people have spoken. There’ll be no more Hooters on Barry Road.
The Barry Road Hooters has permanently closed its doors. Apparently business never perked up. Do you know anybody who went there on a semi-regular basis? I do not. I’ll mostly remember it for a bad dining experience one time 20 years ago and the often empty parking lot in what was not that easy of a spot to get in and out of.
Summer television is usually a downer but this week there’s something that just might be can’t-miss TV. There’s a presidential debate set for Thursday night, June 27 at 8 p.m. on CNN. I’m setting the DVR.
Let’s be honest, both candidates have some flaws in their game. This could be a memorable battle of unhinged vs. unhinged, disaster vs. disaster, barely here vs. barely there.
No matter your politics, no matter which candidate you’re supporting, this one could be worth tuning in just for the train wreck effect. Approach it with the mindset that you’re watching for the entertainment value and it will keep your blood pressure down. Grab some popcorn and settle in.
(You can find Foley reading taxpayer-funded campaign
pieces poorly disguised as educational and informational)