Mike B's Editorial in the Globe

[TexKan]

Geesh.....I did it I did it........I'm just so proud of me........... first I find a game I can play now I actually learned how to cut and paste from the glob....OH yeah....the purpose -
Here ya go Tee.....good story..



Stop spending beyond taxpayers’ means

Just the other day I went Christmas shopping for my family. I saw many items that would make nice gifts, and I’m sure my family would have treasured them deeply, but unfortunately I was unable to afford them. Did I buy the gifts anyway, without the means to pay for them? NO! I DID NOT! I do not make a practice of spending money I don’t have.
Just a couple of weeks ago I received a Christmas card from Ford County that informed me that my property tax went up. That did not surprise me. What shocked me was my property tax increased by more than 11 percent. I have talked to many people who are complaining about theirs going up five percent, or seven percent, even visited with Tim Trent who said his went up 16.3 percent. I have made no improvements to my home. At this rate, of more than 11 percent, my home will double in value in just nine years. My question is: Why is my property tax higher in Ford County than most other counties in Kansas? If I remember correctly, when you guys (city and county commissioners) were running for office, you all said you were against raising taxes. What happened?

I’ll be more than glad to tell you what happened. You raised the mill levy. You’d think our elected officials would be a little embarrassed by our high mill levy. You fine gentlemen are more than happy to give away and spend money on projects that are a total waste!

The whole purpose of the “Why Not Dodge?” sales tax is to bring about economic development to Dodge. I say let’s use the “Why Not Dodge?” sales tax money, and not so much property tax money, to help improve our streets. That would increase economic development. No business will open shop with poor streets and/or awful access to their business.

I also say use the “Why Not Dodge?” tax to bring new businesses to Dodge and Ford County (as to relieve us over-taxed property owners) by giving companies big tax breaks and other incentives to come and build in Dodge. To those who criticize giving tax breaks to corporations coming to Dodge, I say we never had it before they came, so we are not losing anything! Plain and simple, Dodge City and Ford County needs to enlarge its tax base! More businesses will bring about a larger tax base.

I can understand a property tax increase, but 11 percent! Give me a break! An acquaintance of mine may have said it correctly, “At some point you’ve got to realize you’re on a sinking ship and fighting a losing battle, quit trying to bail water and think about saving yourself. They say rats are the first to abandon a sinking ship.” It’s no wonder why people are leaving Dodge City and businesses are not coming here. The City of Dodge and Ford County should learn to live within its means just like I do. When money is tight, everybody should share in the belt-tightening. And government should take its licks the same as me.

Shame on our city and county commissioners for passing a budget that we can not afford.

Elected officials take notice, I for one am voting to FIRE YOU ALL next election for allowing this to happen.

Mike Boettcher

Dodge City

[TexKan]

Well as usual..........but I still got my chickens I can play with in the arcade.....life is still good..........LOL

[Detector]

Great job Mike.

Now if the rest of us could just stand up and say WTH is your major malfunction to these spend mungers.

[Quietly]

I can certainly understand why people are outraged about their tax bills. If I owned a home or other property in Dodge, I wouldn't be happy either.

But I can't understand why more people don't voice their concerns at the city's (or county's) budget hearings. The paper publishes budget preview stories each summer and alerts people to the hearing dates, but very few people speak up at those hearings.

Why is that? Do people not realize that they can comment on the proposed budget, or do they stay away because they believe they are powerless to influence the commission's decisions? (Note: I'm not scolding people for not attending the budget hearings, which, truthfully, are not very exciting. I'm just wondering why they don't generate much public interest.)

Given the level of outrage that greets each year's property tax bills, I would expect the budget hearings to be packed with upset citizens demanding to be heard. But they seldom are.

[Tee]

I have been to those meetings several times. I have seen issues where 20 different people get up and speak against the issue, only to have the commissioners vote it through in spite of overwhelming opposition. Our commissioners are no more our spokespersons then they are thrifty spenders. They seem to always have an agenda, and we (the taxPAYERS) are not part of it.

The only way to fight them and have the "peoples will" be done is to petition the issue to go to the constituents for a vote, then overrule them by a majority rule (like with the new school proposal).

As far as the disconnect between our representatives and the constituents... well I cannot explain that, but it is disturbing. We do need to clean house again.

[lurker]

If any new organization reports on budget reviews it usually is quietly stated that a $60,000 house will see a $12 increase in tax assessment for the $8 MILLION DOLLAR WATER PARK or sumpt'n like that. Always downplayed... and never projects the additional costs like National Beef's screwin we just took.

[Mike B.]

I am pleased the Globe published my letter to the Editor, but I would be amiss to take all the credit. Tee, Detector and others who allowed me to use some of their ideas and words! Thanks!

Mike B.

[Bubba]

Originally Posted by Mike B.

I am pleased the Globe published my letter to the Editor, but I would be amiss to take all the credit. Tee, Detector and others who allowed me to use some of their ideas and words! Thanks!

Mike B.

I posted a reply to your letter to the editor online that was printed the next day or so. I don't remember exactly what I said but it did include something to the effect that Dodge City and Ford county residents would all soon be living in Clark, Gray and Hodgeman counties.

[Mike B.]

Yep, I remember reading your comments. Makes alot of sense to me to move out of the county and would do it if I could convince my wife.

I think Minneola would suit me just fine!

Mike B.

[Bubba]

It would sure make the Dodge City and Ford county commisioners take notice if all of a sudden there were nice new big housing developments just on the other side of the county lines. You wouldn't even have to move all the way to Minneola or Jetmore or Cimarron.