Independence can save taxpayers $200,000 right now. Repeal the useless pit bull ban | Opinion
No blanket rules
The Overland Park, Sugar Creek and Kansas City, Kansas, city councils repealed their pit bull bans without petitions or public votes. Only three of the 90-plus cities and counties in the metropolitan area still have bans: Kearney, Leawood and Independence. (April 3, 7A, “Independence must follow the facts on its pit bull ban”)
Breed-specific laws don’t make Independence safer. Nearby communities, including Blue Springs, Kansas City and Liberty, don’t have pit bull bans. Lee’s Summit never had breed-specific laws. They all use dangerous-dog ordinances instead.
This kind of law curbs aggressive behavior whether the dog is a German shepherd, Doberman or pit bull. Dangerous-dog ordinances judge dogs by their behavior, not their breed. The Humane Society of the United States, the ASPCA and the American Veterinary Medical Association oppose breed-specific legislation.
More than 100 Independence registered voters collected 5,679 signatures to repeal the breed-specific ban here. At least 3,740 were validated by the Jackson County Election Board. The City Council must either repeal the law or place it on the August ballot at a cost of $200,000.
We encourage the Independence City Council to repeal the pit bull ban, strengthen the dangerous-dog ordinance and include stronger enforcement of that law.
- Jason White and Lucy Young, Former Independence City Council members, Independence
Real debt solutions
In 2010, The Star published an opinion piece I wrote on how to whittle down the federal budget. I was concerned that the national debt was then approaching $13.5 trillion. Today, it’s $31 trillion. (May 18, 2A, “‘America will not default,’ Biden says of budget talks”)
The Republican Party is guilty of hypocrisy and risking worldwide economic damage with its members’ treatment of debt. Since Ronald Reagan, the GOP has committed itself to tax cuts and more spending, including the largest unfunded expansion of a social welfare program in history. Never have Republicans challenged a debt increase under a Republican president.
Currently, 77% of the $5.792 trillion budget covers four areas: Social Security, medical care, defense and interest on the national debt — and these continue to grow. We now basically borrow money to do everything the government does except in these four categories.
Under current GOP thinking, to balance a budget, we would have to eliminate agriculture supports, transportation, law enforcement, disaster support, veterans’ benefits and more.
If Republicans really want to stop this cycle of ruinous budget deficits, they need to work with Democrats. This means they must support increased revenue with both program improvements and tax increases.
Continuing to borrow money to carry out major functions of government is nonsensical and disastrous.
- Bond R. Faulwell, Overland Park
Air turbulence
Straighten up and fly right. That’s really what Americans want the airlines to do. That goes for the Federal Aviation Administration, too. If it means re-regulation, then bring it back. And, perhaps for safety sake, schedule a trained and armed security person for every flight on a major carrier.
The industry has become an international embarrassment. At 75, I have seen the glory days of flying, such as Braniff’s service. After that, the industry took a nosedive to the cheap seats and passenger behavior acceptable only to back-alley cruisers.
It’s not just the insatiable discount mentality. It has to do with an oversight agency that has become unfit, bloated with Luddites in a holding pattern awaiting retirement, with no flight plan for the future.
Maybe a two-tier industry would be a place to start until somebody with a “clear-and-a-million” vision could create a superior plan. Or, how about creating a national rail system designed for all Americans to use?
Regardless, get in gear, Department of Transportation. If you’re going to move America beyond tomorrow, you’ve got to get on board today.
- Linda Ferris, Columbia