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Bistate advocates are collecting signatures
on petitions and seeking passage of ordinances that would place the renewal
of the Bistate Tax before the voters in Johnson, Wyandotte, Jackson, Clay
and Platte counties on Nov. 5, 2002. If passed, the initiative would renew
the 1/8-cent sales tax and generate nearly $750 million over the authorization
period of 21 years.
Bistate would create thousands of jobs, result in the construction of
a world-class performing arts center in downtown, renovate the metropolitan
area’s sports stadiums, and provide first-rate funding of education
for youth and others in the arts at a level that is competitive with any
American city. Why should we take on this financial responsibility now,
and why should we fund facilities outside our home county or home city?
If we don’t vote in November, we will have to wait two years before
we can go before the voters again. We will miss the opportunity to assure
the construction of a premier performing arts center in downtown Kansas
City. We will unnecessarily suffer even greater cutbacks in funding for
the arts and for our schools and for essential support of our arts organizations.
We will miss the opportunity to demonstrate support for the Royals and
Chiefs and to guarantee that Kansas City continues to have first-class
sports facilities.
The first Bistate saved Union Station and began a renaissance of growth
in lower downtown Kansas City. This renaissance is important to the economy
of the entire metropolitan area. The performing arts center will create
public parking for convention and other public facilities, and will benefit
Crown Center, the Freighthouse District, the south loop area of downtown
and Kansas City’s convention facilities by bringing visitors into
the downtown area. The performing arts center is an opportunity that comes
only once in a generation.
Bistate is too big an opportunity for metropolitan Kansas City to pass
up. Each citizen of the metropolitan area will receive a return on this
investment many, many times. We need to support Bistate on Nov. 5th.
Jerry Riffel is a partner with Lathrop & Gage L.C. He may be
reached by phone at 816.292.2000.
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At this time, particularly in this economy,
local elected officials in Kansas and Missouri should not consider a renewal
of the Bistate Cultural Tax, because the Bistate Tax proposed today is
not the same Bistate Tax of the late 1990s, whose sole purpose was to
restore the historic Union Station.
The first Bistate Tax was unique in that it required the adoption of identical
state legislation in Kansas and Missouri to authorize the imposition of
the tax (a feat never accomplished anywhere in the U.S.), and then approval
by the voters of the metropolitan counties in separate elections. Compelling
arguments for "Saving Union Station" were made, and legislators
and citizens responded.
Now, as later-elected officials consider extending this tax, it is critical
to recall its history in order to determine whether such efforts should
be undertaken and, if so, whether they will meet with success. As most
people recall, the officials who led the charge for the tax gave their
word that it would be imposed only until a predetermined amount of money
($120 million) was raised, after which it would cease, end of story.
In a thinly disguised, poorly planned money grab, we are seeing an attempt
now to extend this tax for new, "cultural" amenities, including
the Truman Sports Complex and, to buy Johnson Countians’ votes, a
soccer complex in that area. It will not go unnoticed by our astute voters
that these proposals to extend this tax pale in comparison to the potential
loss of Union Station. Our elected officials should be forewarned that
they face certain defeat at the polls and an even greater loss in credibility
if and when they have a legitimate, future argument for the renewal of
the Bistate Tax. Here’s a novel idea: let the taxpayers keep their
own money to spend on their own needs, until there is an issue compelling
enough to justify use of this historic tax.
Paul G. Danaher, is city councilman for the 2nd District in
Kansas City, Mo. He may be reached by phone at 816.513.1625 or by e-mail
at paul_danaher@kcmo.org.
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