Electric scooters continue to defy KC bans. Pedestrians expect protection | Opinion

Safety crisis

Kansas City’s sidewalks are under siege by electric scooters — and it’s past time for serious enforcement. Despite Ordinance 70-253, which bans motorized scooter use on sidewalks, downtown pedestrians face daily threats from riders ignoring the law.

This is not a minor nuisance. It’s a public safety crisis. In the Power & Light District, River Market and Crossroads, scooters speed past pedestrians, creating constant near-misses and leaving vulnerable people — children, older adults, people with disabilities — at risk. One serious injury is one too many.

Warnings and gentle reminders are no longer enough. The city must immediately increase citations for sidewalk violations, require scooter companies to use technology-based “no sidewalk riding” features and even consider impounding scooters for repeat offenses. Other cities have acted boldly to protect pedestrians. Kansas City should be no different.

Our downtown renaissance depends on safe, welcoming streets — not on sidewalks turned into dangerous obstacle courses. Let’s enforce our laws and put pedestrians first.

- Isaac Mishler, Kansas City

Tax help

Nicolas L. Ziebarth’s April 30 guest commentary ”IRS Direct File system would cost Missouri taxpayers. It should go” (10A) cites errors in the Internal Revenue Service’s new system as reasons not to use it. This system is exactly what is required for improved government efficiency. That it might produce errors early in its implementation is not a reason to abandon the effort.

I’ve encountered errors in all tax-filing systems. For 2024, the IRS required nine-digit control numbers that began with zeros. Private tax-filing software erased those leading zeros, causing rejected returns. I reported the errors, and the software was fixed.

Ultimately, tax preparers are responsible for catching mistakes. Software is a helpful tool to that end.

- Patrick Doyle, Topeka

America first?

I am writing to express my profound concern about the direction the new presidential administration has taken in dismantling the world’s foremost science research infrastructure. That apprehension extends to the lack of concern, or even interest, members of Congress have displayed about what is taking place.

My father was an engineer. I have degrees in nuclear engineering and physics, and my son is a cancer research scientist. We believe both in the scientific enterprise and science as a process that can help us better understand how the world works. It uncovers information that has helped humanity build better lives. Destroying our scientific infrastructure serves only to slow discovery and the benefits that come from it. Beyond that, it works to cede preeminence in scientific fields to other countries that are our competitors.

“America first” should apply to science and the boundless opportunity it represents. I urge Congress to speak up to the administration to stop the defunding of scientific research and the destruction of the terrific partnership between our government and our universities, which have nurtured America’s position as the leader in scientific discovery and innovation. Our future as a world leader depends on it.

- Dean Katerndahl, Parkville

Keep rising

I would like to point out to the powers that be that many of my friends, neighbors, relatives and I are extremely upset about the rapid increase in the last two years in our property taxes.

It is not only that the taxes have increased, but that they seemed to have increased by hundreds of dollars for every property each of the last two years.

When the consolidation of Kansas City, Kansas, and Wyandotte County governments happened in 1997, and the Legends development received STAR bonds, we residents were told that even though those companies would get tax abatements for 10 years, we eventually would have decreases in our taxes.

Now it has been almost 30 years, and not only have property taxes not decreased, but they have increased outrageously. Even though most of the politicians from that time have been replaced, shouldn’t the promises made by the Unified Government be an ongoing commitment to the residents of Wyandotte County?

Furthermore, small businesses that have operated for decades are suffering the extreme unparalleled increase in taxes as well.

I believe there should be an investigation into what is happening.

- Elizabeth Folsom, Kansas City, Kansas