2023 KCMO Election

[FangKC]

It's not City, but in the GOP in Jeff City want to get rid of the state income tax and replace it with a sales tax.

https://www.news-leader.com/story/news/ ... 326169007/

Since localities use sales taxes to fund things, I worry that cities will be more severely affected and the local rates will become so high that it will drive sales down in many retail operations. It will make things seem more expensive--especially when you tabulate food, drink, tax and tips in restaurants and bars. When people get sticker shock when they see the bill, it may cause them to stop going out as often.

We can't use sales taxes to solve every revenue problem because they hurt our lower-income neighbors the most.

Why bring this up on a KCMO election post? Because we are voting on two measures to continue or raise revenue via sales taxes. What the state does will affect what happens with sales tax measures locally.

[langosta]

In theory, it's an equal sum came. X revenues are needed to be raised either by income tax or by sales tax. As you point out, the sales tax path pushes more of the burden on lower-income individuals. The KC side of the state could be in a poor position. Higher costs of goods sold (driven by a minimum wage nearly double that of KS) + significantly higher sales taxes will lead to a noticeable difference in receipt prices. STL will have less of a problem given their neighbor is Illinois.

But we need a new city jail, it's an existing sales tax that can only be used for public safety, and we don't have any other avenue to pay for it. MO has wanted to end income taxes for years and has yet to (although this year is a very serious attempt). States w/o income taxes have also seen elevated population/job growth. I agree with you we should not push our tax burden onto the poor but I also believe we 100% need a new city jail ASAP an I am not going to push that off for a "MO could maybe do something they have talked about for a decadel"

I am not sure what the other sales tax measure in KCMO is? Maybe you are confusing it with the KCPS property tax?

[FangKC]

yes, it's the school tax.

[langosta]

yes, it's the school tax.

KCPS is a property tax not sales tax

[KCPowercat]

why aren't we exploring land tax? Ag areas hate it?

[im2kull]

why aren't we exploring land tax? Ag areas hate it?

Land is already taxed. The only additional land tax we should be considering is a parking lot tax within urban areas.

Income taxes are going away for sure. It's time that the cities prepare. The legislature is going to get it across the finish line and the governor has already said he'll sign it immediately.

[KCPowercat]

Yeah land is part of property tax but until tearing down buildings to get cheap tax isnt worthwhile it's not taxed high enough

[im2kull]

Yeah land is part of property tax but until tearing down buildings to get cheap tax isnt worthwhile it's not taxed high enough

I agree.

[FangKC]

Platt's suspension extended.

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/ka ... rian-platt

[beautyfromashes]

Platt's suspension extended.

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/ka ... rian-platt

Seems ridiculous. Either fire him or get him back to work. Feels a little bit like wanting to break up but not having the balls to do it.

[KCPowercat]

Seems very much like waiting for legal to say it's okay to fire him. No way he goes back to work.

[UMKCroo]

https://www.niskanencenter.org/the-stat ... ty-crisis/

Not sure this if this is a politics post or a KCMO post, but as it relates to my lived experience in KCMO, Ill put it here.

I have never thought, "wow the federal government is a highly efficient bureaucracy." But all in all, I think it functions pretty well. I have family in other wealthy western countries, and I can assure you their federal governments are just as bad if not worse. Are there some things that could be handled better and more efficiently in the USA? Sure. And while it is probably just because my expectations are so low, I generally walk away from experiences with the federal government pleasantly surprised.

Dealing with the state of MO or the city of KCMO, on the other hand, is a completely different and painful experience. I tend to agree with this essay that people's frustration with "government" is mostly born from their experiences with their local municipalities and state governments. Among other things, DOGE is a completely misdirected platform. At best it's a waste of time and resources. The real inefficiencies happen much further down the food chain.

I like that the "abundance" movement (great book, btw) is gaining momentum, but it has yet to produce actionable ideas for municipalities. I agree that we need to build more, but there is a long and complicated road getting from A to B. There have been lots of great ideas circulated on this forum, but as noted, we have yet to have an elected leader champion any of those ideas.

95% of the criticism on this website relates to the lack of state capacity from a local level ie crime, economic development, infrastructure, schools. My hope is that more local elected leaders can ditch the culture wars all together and run on more pragmatic solutions for competent state capacity.

[smh]

https://www.niskanencenter.org/the-stat ... ty-crisis/

Not sure this if this is a politics post or a KCMO post, but as it relates to my lived experience in KCMO, Ill put it here.

I have never thought, "wow the federal government is a highly efficient bureaucracy." But all in all, I think it functions pretty well. I have family in other wealthy western countries, and I can assure you their federal governments are just as bad if not worse. Are there some things that could be handled better and more efficiently in the USA? Sure. And while it is probably just because my expectations are so low, I generally walk away from experiences with the federal government pleasantly surprised.

Dealing with the state of MO or the city of KCMO, on the other hand, is a completely different and painful experience. I tend to agree with this essay that people's frustration with "government" is mostly born from their experiences with their local municipalities and state governments. Among other things, DOGE is a completely misdirected platform. At best it's a waste of time and resources. The real inefficiencies happen much further down the food chain.

I like that the "abundance" movement (great book, btw) is gaining momentum, but it has yet to produce actionable ideas for municipalities. I agree that we need to build more, but there is a long and complicated road getting from A to B. There have been lots of great ideas circulated on this forum, but as noted, we have yet to have an elected leader champion any of those ideas.

95% of the criticism on this website relates to the lack of state capacity from a local level ie crime, economic development, infrastructure, schools. My hope is that more local elected leaders can ditch the culture wars all together and run on more pragmatic solutions for competent state capacity.

Preach. As one small comparison. I applied for a passport and received it in a week. I went to the MO DMV and waited more than an hour just to renew a drivers license.

[brooksidebadgers]

Agree that KCMO/Jackson County is 10 times worse than the federal govt. Low bar but our local govt services are painfully incompetent. I'm trying to fix my personal property tax and was so disappointed that they couldn't fix. I overpaid for them and they cancelled the payment and now they are trying to charge me twice for the same car. With penalties. Dumb.

[beautyfromashes]

https://www.niskanencenter.org/the-stat ... ty-crisis/
"First, voters know almost nothing about their state and local representatives and instead base their votes entirely on the national political climate. As a result, the leading determinant of which party wins state and local elections is which party won that district in national elections. This pervasive nationalization of state and local elections means that state legislative performance has little connection to electoral outcomes."

This rings true for me. State and local politicians spend most of their time and effort parroting the messaging of their national party instead of working on the issues that make life better for constituents. I don't care about the mayors or governors' views on national policy. Provide quality education for every child no matter where they live, provide safe transportation, incentive policy that brings return to the region and cut down on lawlessness.

[FangKC]

Preach. As one small comparison. I applied for a passport and received it in a week. I went to the MO DMV and waited more than an hour just to renew a drivers license.

It can often depend on the DMV office location and the day you go.

The last time I renewed my driver's license, it took 10 minutes (5 minutes waiting, 5 minutes at the counter).

Another tip. Get your eyes tested somewhere, and if needed, get new glasses/contacts right before you go so you know you will pass the eye test. This will avoid having to fail and come back a second time.

I've heard not to go on Monday and Friday and to avoid the first and last week of the month.

[ericwyner]

Preach. As one small comparison. I applied for a passport and received it in a week. I went to the MO DMV and waited more than an hour just to renew a drivers license.

Another tip. Get your eyes tested somewhere, and if needed, get new glasses/contacts right before you go so you know you will pass the eye test. This will avoid having to fail and come back a second time.

who does eye exams for drivers licenses renewals? has anyone done online renewal after they got an eye exam?

[FangKC]

If you are required to go into a DMV office for a driver's license renewal, you have to pass an eye exam before they will issue a renewal license. If you don't pass, you have to get your vision problem corrected before you can get the renewal.

Making sure you will pass the exam before you go will save you time by not having to go back a second time to the DMV office.

You can't renew your driver's license online every time if comes up for renewal. Just every other time unless you are age 50 or over, then you have to go to the DMV office every time to have vision checked.

"Missouri residents can renew their driver's license online through the Missouri Department of Revenue (.gov), but only for every other renewal period, and only if they are between 21 and 49 years old."

The reason younger people still have to go in every other time to renew is because they need their vision checked.

So if you have to go into the DMV office for driver's license renewal, make sure your vision is such that you will pass the eye test or you'll be making two trips to the DMV.

[KCPowercat]

Seems an easy fix for the eye test if we are doing online renewal is if you are able to provide a recent eye exam result you could do it online.

[beautyfromashes]

Platt's suspension extended.

https://www.kshb.com/news/local-news/ka ... rian-platt

Platt seems to be trying to make a comeback. He's been posting about positive things happening in the city even though he's on paid suspension. What does he have to do to get back in the council and cities good graces and resume his position? Happy to see him trying.