[lurker]

Well said, Mr. Taylor. Well said:

Dodge City candidates

The Dodge City candidates' forum March 25 revealed that the race involves four candidates - Jim Lembright, Connie Penick, Kent Smoll and Rick Sowers - supported by the chamber against two candidates - Mike Boettcher and Ed Kimminau - who are for the people.


The four candidates called the property tax a small price to pay to live in Dodge City. They consider our property taxes reasonable. Dodge City's property tax runs third-highest among first-class cities in Kansas. All four support building the All Event Center and raising taxes for necessities. They said the only problem we have with taxes is we have a small group of negative people that keep bringing up the tax issue.

Lembright and Smoll served as commissioners when Dodge City had the opportunity to have businesses come to town but the city made the businesses feel not welcomed. Do you think the candidates have changed their ways?

Two other candidates, Boettcher and Kimminau, want to redirect the sales tax to lower property taxes. When we had a special sales tax that built streets look at what it did for businesses that are located on these streets. Good streets and lower taxes will make it a lot easier for the development corp. to sway businesses to town. West Wyatt Earp and North 14th are being rebuilt with property tax. Also, any street improvement for the rest of Dodge City will be paid by property tax.

Look at the number of businesses that have gone out of business in Dodge City in the last 10 to 15 years. We have empty buildings all over town. We have a record amount of residential property for sale. Is this a result of high property tax? How many neighbors and friends have left town in the last 10 years?

If we build an All Event Center, they said it will bring people from surrounding areas. Before we build anything, let's look at what we already have. We have a racetrack that so far has been a disaster, and we have a civic center that is only filled to capacity once or twice a year. I have been to three community concerts this year at the civic center, excellent entertainment, with one-fourth to one-third capacity. How can we fill an All Event Center that has at least double capacity?

We have one of the best rodeo facilities in the United States and we have financial problems there. Boot Hill Museum has been the backbone of tourism in Dodge City for 50 years, and look at its financial problems.

We have a new soccer complex with limited parking and limited seating. We have a baseball field that has no restroom or concession facilities. We have one of the best softball complexes in Kansas but it used only a few weekends a year. The two candidates that want to redirect sales tax want to make these facilities succeed with the sales tax.

Vote Tuesday. Your vote counts.

TOM TAYLOR

Dodge City

03/31/2006; 02:30:11 AM

A new Special Events Center isn't "economic development"