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Old 11-15-2010, 02:41 PM  
KC Born and Raised!

Kansas City, MO
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13 | Kudos: +10
E-Tax. Should it stay or should it go?

Just wanted to get everybody's opinions on the e-tax. As I'm sure you're all aware, Missouri voters have decided to give STL and KC residents the choice if they want to keep paying the e-tax.

As much as I don't like paying anything extra, I love KC, and realize that they CAN'T function without it. It's only 1% of your check, but makes up over $200 million for the city. I guarantee if we voters eliminate it, we will have to make up for it in sales/real estate/personal property taxes. At least the way it is now those that live outside the city but work in it help shoulder some of the financial burden. But if we get rid of the e-tax, those that don't live here but work here can use our water/sewer, police, fire, EMS, roads, etc, etc., then go back to their own city without chipping in.

What are your thoughts??
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Old 11-15-2010, 02:56 PM  
Junior Member

Kansas City, MO
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5 | Kudos: +10
I think it is fair to vote on it. If we vote it down and that causes us to experience some pain we have the opportunity to vote it back in.
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Old 11-15-2010, 03:10 PM  
KC Born and Raised!

Kansas City, MO
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13 | Kudos: +10
Quote:
Originally Posted by johnf View Post
I think it is fair to vote on it. If we vote it down and that causes us to experience some pain we have the opportunity to vote it back in.
I understand what you're saying, but this city CAN'T function without the e-tax. Go to the city's website and look at the projections of firefighters and cops that will have to be laid off if the city doesn't have that funding. It's not like KC has any "extra" money that they just don't know what to do with. The city is barely getting by as it is, repealing the e-tax will cripple it!
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Old 11-15-2010, 04:24 PM  
Senior Member

Kent, Ohio
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 1,237 | Kudos: +67
Quote:
Originally Posted by I_B_Mongo View Post
Just wanted to get everybody's opinions on the e-tax. As I'm sure you're all aware, Missouri voters have decided to give STL and KC residents the choice if they want to keep paying the e-tax.

As much as I don't like paying anything extra, I love KC, and realize that they CAN'T function without it. It's only 1% of your check, but makes up over $200 million for the city. I guarantee if we voters eliminate it, we will have to make up for it in sales/real estate/personal property taxes. At least the way it is now those that live outside the city but work in it help shoulder some of the financial burden. But if we get rid of the e-tax, those that don't live here but work here can use our water/sewer, police, fire, EMS, roads, etc, etc., then go back to their own city without chipping in.

What are your thoughts??
I don't know anything about your local politics, but I do have a couple questions...

Don't the employers within the city pay taxes? Don't the employees pay taxes and consume resources in their own towns? Are the employees in question able to vote on issues regarding these taxes, or are they being taxed without their representation?

The answers to those questions would seem to be important considerations.
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Old 11-15-2010, 06:57 PM  
KC Born and Raised!

Kansas City, MO
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13 | Kudos: +10
Quote:
Originally Posted by rivalarrival View Post
I don't know anything about your local politics, but I do have a couple questions...

Don't the employers within the city pay taxes? Don't the employees pay taxes and consume resources in their own towns? Are the employees in question able to vote on issues regarding these taxes, or are they being taxed without their representation?

The answers to those questions would seem to be important considerations.
1) Some of the employers pay taxes. Some aren't as a part of different TIF deals.
2) Yes, I'm sure the employees pay taxes in their own cities as well as consume those resources as well. However, don't those people use the water, roads, fire dept., police dept., EMS, etc. while at work? Why shouldn't they help pay for what they use?
3) No, the vote will only be available to people who LIVE IN Kansas City.

It's really pretty easy, if you have a problem with the 1% E-Tax, don't live or work in Kansas City. If you enjoy the benefits of living/working in a big city, then do so-knowing that it comes with paying the E-Tax.
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Old 11-17-2010, 11:57 AM  
Junior Member

Independence, MO
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 13 | Kudos: +10
I say it should go, but at the very least people should be allowed to vote on it. That goes for any tax IMHO.

What irritates me is that the first cuts they always say will need to be made when there is a budget shortfall is to police and fire fighters. There is enough money wasted on other projects and useless city employees that the cuts could be made there, rather than to employees we actually need.

Government needs shrink, and learn to make do with what they have. Just like we the people do. The average government employee is paid considerably more than private sector employees, so why not cut their pay to what the people paying their salaries make on average? If that were done, they would have a budget surplus, even without the earnings tax.
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Old 11-19-2010, 10:22 AM  
Junior Member

Kansas City, Missouri
Join Date: Nov 2010
Posts: 5 | Kudos: +10
I think it has to stay. I just don't know what we'd do without it.

A bigger issue I think is the raiding of ATA funding by the city council.
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Old 12-26-2010, 09:33 PM  
Junior Member

Lenexa, Kansas
Join Date: Dec 2010
Posts: 6 | Kudos: +10
Quote:
Originally Posted by KCBrewer View Post
I say it should go, but at the very least people should be allowed to vote on it. That goes for any tax IMHO.

What irritates me is that the first cuts they always say will need to be made when there is a budget shortfall is to police and fire fighters. There is enough money wasted on other projects and useless city employees that the cuts could be made there, rather than to employees we actually need.

Government needs shrink, and learn to make do with what they have. Just like we the people do. The average government employee is paid considerably more than private sector employees, so why not cut their pay to what the people paying their salaries make on average? If that were done, they would have a budget surplus, even without the earnings tax.
Wow...I couldn't have said it better myself. They put up those numbers (police/firefighters) to scare people to vote against it. Yes, losing that money will force the city to make cuts, but some of those cuts SHOULD be made. The city doesn't pay for free trash removal for me across the border.
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Old 01-28-2011, 09:25 AM  
Junior Member

Kansas City, Missouri
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 10 | Kudos: +10
Every other city in america is doing it without the extra pinch..

IF I could SEE a difference in the city with the money, then I would be 100% for keeping it. However, KCMO has NO IDEA how to spend money correctly. They need to run the city like a business, not for politics. Period the end.

I will be voting to repeal it, otherwise they will NEVER even try to do better.
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