Anonymous Poll: Repeal the "Why Not Dodge" sales tax. Yes or No???

Well, its official people Ford County elected representatives are exploring more ways to blow away more money that we all must earn to build a Ag Expo Center.

Kodiak made the original thread but I want to make a poll for this so everyone can vote on it.

http://www.dodgeboard.com/forums/front-porch/11588-new-expo-center.html#post145186

Everyone on DB knows how I am stoked and extremely against how over taxed we all are in this community. Ford County is the highest taxed county in the state. You think the elected representatives would be reading this site. If they read this site, they would come to determine there are citizens who are extremely disgruntled about this high tax situation and how we desire substantial financial relief.

Yet they press for more ways to blow more tax dollars. Dollars which we have to earn.

Therefore, I am putting it up to vote for everyone who can get online.

Repeal the "Why Not Dodge" sales tax. Yes or No.

I am now convinced our elected governments have absolutely no intention to ever allow this "Why Not Dodge" tax to sunset. Well I am of a different. I have no intention of allowing this to rest.

They tax me thousands. My friends thousands. Businesses thousands. And I am here to tell you, with this ridiculous Special Events Center that was supposed to be able to accommodate tractor pulls and what not.

Sorry to break it to the County Commission but we do not need another building for a 3-I Show!!! If they need to showcase combines and tractors, I suggest they park them in the Special Event Centers parking lot if they cannot fit them inside.

No. Enough is enough and this is the last straw.

So think long and hard people. With our economy in dismal recession. With the city and county taxing us every chance they get. With USD 443 attempting to convince us to vote YES for new schools (like an intentionally self-inflicted wound). When will the people of Dodge City and Ford County finally stand up in concert and demand meaningful change and tax relief?

Vote to repeal the "Why Not Dodge" tax. Send the message to our city and county leaders that the voting politick is sick of governmental fiscal irresponsibility and disrespect.

What is the next step to get this initiative onto the ballot? We voluntarily voted in this tax around 1997. Surely we can vote it back out.

Who would be willing to sign a petition to get a "Repeal Why Not Dodge" sales tax on the ballot?

The time is now for the voting citizens to get the ball rolling in the right direction. To force the City of Dodge City and Ford County to recognize the stark financial reality our citizens are in and the dwindling financial outlook our local business.

Tax relief is one of the solutions to stoke the economy once again. Taxes which go to frivolous projects can no longer be tolerated. Wasteful spending is not an option in today's economy. Has anyone ever heard of saving?

By repealing the "Why Not Dodge" tax, we tax payers will be steering our community in the right direction. With less taxes, there will be more liquid assets for us and it will make it more attractive to prospective businesses to take root in our town and thrive.

A repeal of that tax will never happen. It pays for Legends Park, DCRP, the event center which hasn't even opened yet, etc...

Bubba, never say never.

You above all others I thought would vote to repeal such a tax. Any tax for that matter.

Sheesh. They are attempting to use this self imposed tax to make a Expo Building. Next thing you know they will be hiring firms to research, designing, and constructing a western theme park. All on the tax payers sweaty backs no less.

My question remains true so please do not confuse the subject: If you had the opportunity, would you vote to repeal "Why Not Dodge" taxes?

I dedicate this poll to all of the citizens sick and wary of all the ENDLESS taxes and wasteful and brainless spending in this town. I sincerely urge ALL to follow my lead by voting to repeal "Why Not Dodge" tax.

It will help reign in wasteful government spenders. It is common sense. It will be a good first step towards a brighter future by inspiring fiscal responsibility.


Watch the following Bill Cosby clip about 'never saying never.' You might learn something about conviction.

They can refuse to fund the Expo with Why Not Dodge funds, but the tax wiil never go away because it has to still pay for the operations of the DCRP, The Event Center, Legends, etc....


Maybe the county can use their portion of the casino funds to build an Expo Center that could have the same events that the Event Center could host.

I do support the sales tax to better the area, but I really feel it is time to do away with the current CFAB and clean house. I don't feel that this committee has a good pulse with the heart-rate of the community (neither does the current city/county commish).

I do believe that we need a new "fairground" area with appropriate live-stock areas/barns/show-ring. I do NOT believe we need an AG-Expo area. As far as 4-H is concerned, Ford county has one of the worst fair areas in the state! I have been to smaller, less populated county fairs and ours is the pits. This is not due to our 4-H ers, but due to facilities.

The city/county commish also do not appear to be looking out for the best interests of the area by handing over the special events center and the civic center to an outside agency to wholly control. This will hurt local clubs, schools, etc in participating in venues in the civic center. Also, why do we consistently hand this responsibility over to historically and proven poor companies?? I would just as soon allow someone locally to take a shot at getting in venues and managing the special events center.

Love Legend fields, but is there any real need to add 4 more fields?? I am a lover of softball and support all youth sports, but we have 6 public softball fields and a few school fields, zero public baseball fields and a few school fields (no, Cavelier field is NOT open to public), and we let the fields in Wright park diminish to garbage before turning them into soccer fields. We have plenty of soccer fields, now. Time for the Recreation department to stop spending.... Time for DC3 to support itself for athletic arenas.

Time for DCRP to hire locally and join with creating venues with Jetmore.

Why do we need to keep hiring high-priced promoters for these venue sites?? This is not rocket science...

I'll step off my soapbox for a while and let someone else speak.

If you get rid of the sales tax you have to replace that money somehow. Sales tax is the fairest way to collect that tax. EVERYONE WHO COME TO TOWN PAYS IT!!!! When people come from out of town for the casino, concerts at the events center, Races at the track, ball tournaments at Legends. They are all paying for those facilities with their purchases in town. We could repeal it, but then they would have to raise some other tax to make up for the money that is missing cause you don't like sales tax. Before you go into a tirade think things through. The county is going to ASK if they can use why not Dodge to fund it. Nothing has been decided. Also just because it isn't in the paper does not mean it hasn't been discussed. I know that there have been a few people around looking at possible uses for the center.

trouble is -- the event center was designed for the use of semi-pro hockey, to be owned by past/current members of CFAB and city commission, etc.

It was not intended to be used by 'public' or it could have been built for 20 million dollars years ago, not 42 million now -- not counting the new water works for it, etc. and new streets. it was built to help boot hill casino Inc. and located to make much money for boot hill casino inc board member.

and the county, never having a few thousand dollars to better fund existing programs and buildings, buys a building in scott city ? wonder who/which friend of ford county owned that building? bet it is connected to office holders somehow, like the water rights and the land for the waste treatment plant. etc.

like all 4 fun suddenly having a labor cost problem -- check out all the names of the employees -- three times more employees than when private -- and see what dots those connect to -- hmmm...

tea party -- either be here or be weak -- this is a massive cash cow and a white elephant barn, too -- end the tax -- the state tax will be going up and up and no cars will be affordable in ford county soon. really.

Personally, I would like to see a public notice periodically showing an accountability for the Why Not Dodge funds. That way, we the public can be more informed of it's use and better understand why/if it's needed.

I wish the Globe would publish it annually.

5 to 9. Pretty amazing really.

I think the biggest concern is how some people support some projects and so they will not vote against this tax because of it.

I am not like this because I recognize how the government continues to spiral out of touch with society by spending spending spending.

You think at least one guy on these elected boards would come public and say 'hey wait a minute fellas! We need to stop blowing all of this money and save it for a true emergency. The only thing I have witnessed is a continued predilection to burn this regenerating pot of gold.

Since this is happening, I see no other recourse than to demand a repeal of this tax. This is to prevent future abuse.

Having a tax set aside to operate these buildings is one thing. However, they are blowing it to make more and more things which are not necessary.

Tax relief and passing the savings onto the people is what the community needs. Not an Expo Center. Something the Special Events Center was supposed to be for.

You can't allow the government to have absolute power over this. You let them have control over your checkbook and they will never let go. This has been proven in history. "Why Not Dodge" if left in this unaltered state, will spiral out of control until it is too late. The irresponsible spending must be stopped.

i'm not sure if it should be repealed or not. in theory, yes; in application, probably not. my issue is that Why Not Dodge should have been helping both our quality of life issues and in making dodge more able to lure employers/employees into the area. while quality of life issues are better if you enjoy racing or gambling,etc., in all these years the employer situation is basically stagnant. cfab is a joke. all the businesses we wish were in ford county have not come in. anyone that moves to dodge can't wait to move back out of dodge, and the employment issue is as bad or worse than ever. for all the money spent, results are pretty lukewarm.

So using your logic, if you get a splinter in your finger every time you work with wood, you should amputate your arm so that you no longer will get a splinter in your finger.

The Why Not Dodge funds were never intended to be used to lure employers to the area. It was created to build these various entertainment facilities we have in Dodge.

I couldn't agree more with you Sunshine. In my opinion "Why Not Dodge" has been the cash cow of a select few who get a wild hair up their rear ends.

The money collection under current law cannot sunset and it makes it ripe for continued abuse.

This proposed Expo Center is the latest example of fincacical waste. We just build the Special Event Center. That is what it is designed to do! Why waste even more money. But the county commisison has already set the wheels in motion. Money has already been blown to fund the engineering and research.

The "Why Not Dodge" law should at least be rewritten for a public vote to approve use of "Why Not Dodge" funds for any given project. Do not let a select few have their greedy hands all over this money.

Similar to the USD bond issue for the proposed middle school. Over 60+% of those voted turned it down. This empowers the people to make the choice for the community instead of a couple guys on a panel who may or may not have the best interests of the people at heart.

"Why Not Dodge" needs to go. It has been used to scam every single sale in this county for irrelevant projects when the money could have been saved or spent by the person who worked for the money instead of the greedy government.

It is the first step to empower the community with the keys to its financial future and security.

bubba, if the only reason for spending the bazillions that have been spent was for entertainment facilities to benefit a few citizens in the county and not improve the overall quality of experience/offerings for prospective new employers/employees, then that is an EXTREME rip off of our tax dollars going into this fund. quality of life issues are one thing, but blatant spending for only that?????

and those items make it more attractive to employers. one of the biggest problems with this area is the lack of leisure activities. the event center will help with this with concerts and ice skating. hopefully we can get some amateur hockey teams going. anybody up for a senior hockey team. the new lake will also help as there is now a close place to swim and waterski.

Seeing how the why not dodge dollars have been spent, I would welcome a change of pace. Give the repeal a chance. Even if it only meant to forbid future projects from being developed and just to finance the current things in place. No need for more big expensive buildings. Just more industry and employment are needed. I don't think ice skating rinks will make a dent in the need for live wage income in Dodge. Definitely more than what anyone in public office has been willing to go on the record with or provide. Give the repeal that chance it needs. Lower taxes and see what happens. Increasing taxes only hurts the community. Especially when it comes to Expo Centers. Commander's right. A full fledged university in Dodge would help smarten up the dumber segments of Dodge City demographics. To use why not dodge funds for that would be a windfall leap of faith for those in charge of the slush fund. It would bring thousands of people into dodge and million$$$$ of dollar$$$$ in as well. Who could argue with that and why would they? However, I suspect any university in Dodge will never use why not dodge slush funds. In that case, I vote to repeal the tax.

The previous DCRP promotor used the money he got from DCRP to help finance the Liberal track so maybe since all the money is going to companies outside of Dodge it should be renamed "Why Not Leave Dodge With Our Money"...and for the person who said the people who come to the race track spent money here LOL Thats a joke since most stayed in the big Semi campers and brought their own food and drink with them. BTW several commented that they even bought there fuel in Garden City and other towns because they had checked the fuel prices and found it cheaper in other towns.

All you have to do is not buy in Dodge.

I just have some one purcahse any big items for me while they are out of town.

you can also order by mail

So Worry Not and have a good day

every time you choose to buy out of town OR online you hurt your own community. while i agree that dodge often does not have what we want or need at a price we want to pay, we NEED our community to spend its dollars in town with LOCAL businesses. we need people to stop and think about where they really want their money going and how much it hurts the county when it goes somewhere else.

you make some un founded accusations there.