3/8th-cent sales tax to support stadium dreams: What about reader’s idea to halve it? | Opinion
Split them up
Much has been said and published about the upcoming vote on the renewal of the 3/8th-cent sales tax to support the stadium dreams of the Chiefs and Royals. It seems like they are asking to put the cart before the horse to renew the tax before the teams commit to staying in Jackson County.
Perhaps a simple solution is to divide the issue into two votes: 3/16th for the Chiefs and 3/16th for the Royals. That might provide more financial clarity for the representatives of each team.
- Burt Walker, Raymore
Christ’s counsel
Christmas seems a good time for us Christians to remember that Christ and his parents, who at his birth were houseless, soon fled to Egypt as undocumented migrants seeking asylum. We also remember that Jesus told us in Matthew 25, “As you did it to one of the least of these my brethren, you did it to me.” Christmas food for thought.
- Sherry Templeton, Kansas City
Keep playing
The Country Club Plaza is one of Kansas City’s treasures. Although I don’t play tennis, I’ve seen folks playing on the courts there through the years, including tournaments. The venue must be great for locals and those from out of town alike.
Surely the city can arrange to see its way to retain this historic attraction. (Nov. 30, 2A, “Kansas City wants to remove crumbling Plaza Tennis Center”) Once gone, it will never be replaced.
- David Doerste, Overland Park
Great omission
I got a real chuckle out of the recent commentary from a Heritage Foundation economist attempting to put the blame for inflation on the back of our duly elected president, Joseph Biden. (Dec. 16, 6A, “Biden, don’t blame businesses for inflation. Look at your data”) The writer seemed to think that the fiscal packages enacted by Biden and Democrats in Congress were the cause of the inflation.
He made no mention of the economic duress the country endured during COVID-19 — the slowdown in manufacturing production, diminished consumer spending and the disruption of supply lines, particularly from China. Truth be told, this inflation was baked into the economy thanks to the pandemic.
If Biden played any hand in the inflationary spiral, it was the stimulus his fiscal policies provided to protect the country from slipping into recession during late 2022 and 2023 when his spending finally hit the country, not earlier when inflation really took off. They helped facilitate a soft landing.
Not citing the pandemic as a significant cause of our inflation suggests to me that the Heritage Foundation’s so-called economist was simply penning a hit job on our president, not providing thoughtful and informed commentary.
- Gordon McBride, Independence
Fellow travelers?
Last month, Donald Trump said: “We will root out the communists, Marxists, fascists and the radical left thugs that live like vermin within the confines of our country.”
Here are comments Trump has made about some world leaders:
North Korean leader Kim Jong Un: “He speaks, and his people sit up and (pay) attention. I want my people to do the same. … He’s a very smart cookie … a very talented person.”
Russian President Vladimir Putin: “He’s taken over a country for $2 worth of sanctions. I’d say that’s pretty smart. … Oh, that’s wonderful. … How smart is that?”
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan: “It’s my honor to be with a friend of mine, somebody I’ve become very close to … and he’s doing a very good job”
Chinese President Xi Jinping: “I like President Xi a lot, I consider him a friend. He’s a strong guy, tough guy … terrific guy, I like being with him. … He’s a very special person.”
Who are these leaders Trump loves to praise and openly desires to emulate? Communists, fascists and dictators.
- Lilly Jones, Centerview, Missouri
Accountability
This is a radical solution, but no more radical than forcing women to have babies or jailing health care providers who offer medical care for an expectant mother.
Every male should be required to get a vasectomy when he reaches age 16. It’s reversible, and it would bring men into the equation at last.
- Anna L. Pearson, Lee’s Summit
Playing politics
Imagine if, in 1941, a sufficient number of U.S. senators and representatives had succeeded in defeating the Lend-Lease Act, or any other measure with which America helped the United Kingdom and other nations maintain their lonely defense against Nazi aggression. Now imagine that those same members of Congress had insisted on linking their support of Lend-Lease to unrelated legislation — perhaps a resumption of Prohibition on the grounds that that was more critical to America’s security.
Now think of today. The brave men and women of Ukraine fight on against Russian aggression and war crimes. The long, cold winter has descended on the battlefields, and Russian missiles and drones are again targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure. And Republicans in Congress evidently believe they can play politics by making continued assistance to Ukraine contingent on new legislation regarding our southern border.
There is no question that we have a crisis on our southern border. But that is a different problem — and continued aid to Ukraine should absolutely not be made conditional on legislation aimed at an entirely different problem. The Republicans are playing right into Vladimir Putin’s hands, and what they are doing in threatening to abandon Ukraine is a disgrace.
- Christopher Riley, Overland Park