JaCo Translational Medicine Sales Tax

[aknowledgeableperson]

And add the food and beverage sales tax at restaurants for Bartle Hall debt. Think it is 2% on top of the other sales taxes.

[chaglang]

I hear you, but I often feel that linking projects that way is helping the opposition. "Why are we funding a streetcar when we need sewers?" Usually the funding has nothing to do with each other and is project specific. No way we can use KCI funding for anything else.

I agree on a vision thing, and I guess that needs to come from Sly in State of the City speeches and the like. I guess I feel that we know about the upcoming projects and ultimately it's up to the voters to acquiesce or not.

I suppose. But allowing people to oppose projects and also make the claim that there's no overall plan for how to spend the money seems much worse.

[flyingember]

Or would voters rather see sales tax money levied going for crime reduction, rebuilding streets and sidewalks, abandoned house demolition, etc.? One would improve their lives faster than another?]

passed, passed and funded through another source.

so you have a point, but the city's already sent money that way.

we can't just ignore the rest of the things that keep the city going and keep shoving more money at roads.

it makes zero sense to have wonderfully paved roads and no one living on them.

[grovester]

I hear you, but I often feel that linking projects that way is helping the opposition. "Why are we funding a streetcar when we need sewers?" Usually the funding has nothing to do with each other and is project specific. No way we can use KCI funding for anything else.

I agree on a vision thing, and I guess that needs to come from Sly in State of the City speeches and the like. I guess I feel that we know about the upcoming projects and ultimately it's up to the voters to acquiesce or not.

I suppose. But allowing people to oppose projects and also make the claim that there's no overall plan for how to spend the money seems much worse.

Wait, I thought we were talking about how/when to ask for money. Once it's passed, spending should be proscribed in the measure.

I guess my question would be how does one go about prioritizing these various things without opening themselves up to political shenanigans? Or losing public support for a project due to perceived low priority? What exactly is the venue or vehicle for coming to consensus? AKP says that "leaders should get together and decide", sounds a bit like smoke filled rooms.

The city already sort of prioritizes when it come to when to ask, scheduling votes at certain times, and trying to not compete with each other.

[aknowledgeableperson]

AKP says that "leaders should get together and decide", sounds a bit like smoke filled rooms.

Not a process like that, but there would be some smoke filled room discussions. Get a list of possible improvements or items to be funded and then go out to the community to get feedback on priorities and how to fund. Getting initial community support should help in getting voter approval for any tax increase, property or sales.

[chaglang]

I hear you, but I often feel that linking projects that way is helping the opposition. "Why are we funding a streetcar when we need sewers?" Usually the funding has nothing to do with each other and is project specific. No way we can use KCI funding for anything else.

I agree on a vision thing, and I guess that needs to come from Sly in State of the City speeches and the like. I guess I feel that we know about the upcoming projects and ultimately it's up to the voters to acquiesce or not.

I suppose. But allowing people to oppose projects and also make the claim that there's no overall plan for how to spend the money seems much worse.

Wait, I thought we were talking about how/when to ask for money. Once it's passed, spending should be proscribed in the measure.

I guess my question would be how does one go about prioritizing these various things without opening themselves up to political shenanigans? Or losing public support for a project due to perceived low priority? What exactly is the venue or vehicle for coming to consensus? AKP says that "leaders should get together and decide", sounds a bit like smoke filled rooms.

The city already sort of prioritizes when it come to when to ask, scheduling votes at certain times, and trying to not compete with each other.

Sorry, I wrote that too early this morning and it didn't come out very clearly. But, yes, it was about how/when to ask for money.

In my idealized world, MSJ would have some great campaign that would explain to voters what the overall vision is, and then voters would be informed enough to support parts or all of it. Let MSJ set the priorities. He's the single person most likely to get these things passed by the voters anyway. If he thinks a project should be a lower priority, explain why. Surely his administration has already created such a list, or has a sense of what needs to happen in what order.

Yes,iIt would open them up to shenanigans, but they would also (potentially) gain the support of voters who like the plan. So I think MSJ has more to gain, particularly because it allows him to set the narrative. Right now, there's no narrative, just a lot of proposals that seem to be competing with each other. With no clear vision, I'm less likely to support any of these projects. I know the city doesn't have a ton of money, so as a voter it would be helpful to know that if I vote for some huge project, a bigger, pricier, and more important one won't show up on the ballot in a year or two. And that's speaking as someone who is a supporter of the mayor and inclined to like big, civic projects.

[aknowledgeableperson]

On Sunday, the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance ripped into the proposed half-cent sales tax, which would last 20 years and raise $40 million annually.

Today, the Jackson County Legislature is poised to put the tax on the ballot, after pressure from the Civic Council of Greater Kansas City to rush the issue to the Nov. 5 ballot. Tuesday is the deadline for that action.

The rush irritates the alliance, partly because it has supported a long process to place a commuter rail plan before voters, something that would probably require funding from a large, a one-cent sales tax increase. But that effort was put on hold earlier this year (creating the opening on the ballot for the medical research tax) because of disagreements between two major railroads on where the commuter line could run.

Here’s part of the press release from the alliance and Chairman Kite Singleton:

“This new tax proposal fails to recognize the importance of what Jackson County has been doing over the past three years. Mike Sanders’ energetic regional transit proposal is in a time-out. This is not a time to redirect our community’s focus to another interest. How can we expect to attract these talented young health care researchers to a town that won’t invest in the kinds of urban amenities that these people will demand?

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/26/44 ... rylink=cpy

[FangKC]

I think the medical research people should rethink this and perhaps come up with a private funding mechanism through a consortium of participants like perhaps the Stowers Institute, Cerner, UMKC, the medical centers involved, and Hall Foundation, and the Kauffman Foundation.

[Pork Chop]

This makes me lean more to a yes vote, but I would like to see more details on what Jackson County residents will receive for providing $40 million a year.

Hall foundation pledges $75 million for medical research building

The Hall Family Foundation on Wednesday announced that it would commit $75 million to construct a medical research building at Children’s Mercy Hospital, but only if voters in November approve a half-cent sales tax geared to raise $800 million for such research over 20 years

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/09/04/44 ... rylink=cpy

[kcjak]

I'm torn - if we're going to be pushing the tax rate to over 10% in some parts of the county, I would rather do so for transit-related development. I can't see voters approving this and then a transportation tax down the road. Still, I do like this initiative, especially now with the Hall donation.

On a side note, I was off last Thurs/Fri and amazed at the number of commercials on tv against this initiative. I've yet to see any prime time ads, but daytime tv was full of them.

[earthling]

Sales tax shouldn't be used for research in any way, one of the riskiest business models within any industry.

Typically only one out of a thousand or so research items turn into something tangible. Research is very important but not something to mess with using local public money, even if matching other sources. Fed grants are OK as they use a process to select from thousands of applications that have most potential. A blind use of local public money to start research is just purely risky, especially if continually pouring money into it.

Is disappointing the Hall Foundation made sales tax vote a contingency. They should challenge other private sources to match them instead.

[aknowledgeableperson]

what Jackson County residents will receive for providing $40 million a year.

Given this pledge it looks like most of the tax will go to salaries and other costs of research. Sounds like there will be more than just a few high paying jobs that will be attracted to the city's core.

[Pork Chop]

what Jackson County residents will receive for providing $40 million a year.

Given this pledge it looks like most of the tax will go to salaries and other costs of research. Sounds like there will be more than just a few high paying jobs that will be attracted to the city's core.

Yes, understood, but what I mean is what will Jackson County get out of taking on this risk (as some posters have already mentioned). Just getting a few high paying research jobs is not enough and I agree with others that I would rather see an expansion of transit (mainly the streetcar).

I did read something about about training for jobs through the community college and a couple of other vague benefits, but I need these to be fleshed out before I make a decision.

[pash]

.

[longviewmo]

I guess they must've had the design around since the 90s.

[missingkc]

Seems that's not the final design. From the article in the biz journal:

"According to a news release, if the sales tax is approved, design of the building will begin immediately and be completed in nine to 12 months. Construction will follow, with the estimated opening 24 months later."

[aknowledgeableperson]

I have to admit that just might be a first. You don't vote for or against an issue because of its merits or lack of. You vote because of a way a building might or might not look.

[chaglang]

I have to admit that just might be a first. You don't vote for or against an issue because of its merits or lack of. You vote because of a way a building might or might not look.

Gotta admit, it does manage to make $75m look less enticing.

[knucklehead]

I am conflicted about this, but if I could vote I would vote no.

The medical research will benefit the entire country. The tax is only paid by people who pay sales taxes in Jackson county. Seems to be a gross mismatch between benefits and cost responsibility.

Throw in the regressive nature of the sales tax and this just doesn't make sense.

[lock+load]

Definitely worth a no vote.