Readers sound off on taxpayers’ funds, government, Medicare
Taxpayers’ funds
Marriott and Starwood recently announced they will merge. These companies and their many brands (local Marriotts, Sheratons and the Westin) control roughly 60 percent of the hotel rooms in the downtown corridor.
It is important to note that these companies operate without restrictive catering contracts, accelerated taxpayer funding or unnecessary/costly regulations.
Using taxpayers’ funds to finance a new hotel to compete with these established brands is not in the best interests of Kansas City taxpayers.
We urge the City Council to stop thinking of excuses why it can’t stop a really bad deal for our city and to begin looking for solutions.
Building a new hotel that is not needed would dilute the profitability of the existing brands.
They have supported our city for years. The exclusive contracts for the new hotel would put several of our local businesspeople out of business.
How fair is that?
Using taxpayers’ dollars to destroy the same taxpayers’ businesses? It’s time to stop the madness and restore the integrity of the petition process.
It is important to protect free enterprise.
Dan Coffey
Kansas City
Government creep
Why in the name of common sense do officials in the Obama administration create a new government office, department or agency every time they feel the pressure of terrorism? Creation of a government activity comes at great cost to taxpayers, and many have proved to be worse than useless.
Besides, we have a Defense Department whose members take an oath to protect this nation “against all enemies, foreign and domestic,” which they have done successfully for well more than 200 years, often at the risk and loss of their lives.
Defense of our country belongs in the capable hands of our soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen, not in the domain of politicians and bureaucrats.
William. H. Finnegan
Independence
Medicare target
During a Republican address, Rep. Cathy McMorris Rodgers of Washington touted the actions that the Republicans in the House had taken this year. One thing she said was that “… we’ve enacted the first real entitlement reform in nearly two decades. Now seniors will have the peace of mind to count on Medicare, and taxpayers will save $2.9 trillion over the long term.”
Did you catch that? The Republicans plan to cut nearly $3 trillion from Medicare.
Who do you think will have to make up the difference?
To find out, vote for Republicans in next year’s elections so they can pass their plan.
But to truly save Medicare as we know it today for future generations, I recommend that you vote for Democrats.
William Lenz
Kansas City
Small-business aids
If you really want to help small businesses, I suggest the following:
▪ Do not increase the minimum wage.
▪ Make the barriers to entry (such as regulations, licensing and compliance) low and easy.
▪ Keep energy prices low.
▪ Make taxes simple, affordable and easy to prepare.
▪ Do not subsidize competitors.
Entrepreneurs should not be burdened with social engineering, environmental carve-outs and having to look for every tax loophole.
Government should not be determining what is big or small, good or bad, winners or losers.
Steve Fetter
Overland Park
Keep KC clean
I have to say I was a little upset at our city. I was driving down Emanuel Cleaver II Boulevard recently and was shocked at the amount of trash that littered the area.
I am surprised we do not take more pride in the city where we live.
It is not the city’s responsibility to pick up our trash. Is that really what residents want their tax dollars spent on anyway?
Not me. I can think of a lot of better things.
Come on. Let’s show some pride in where we live and keep our city clean.
Jennifer Murphy
Grain Valley
This story was originally published November 21, 2015 at 9:00 AM with the headline "Readers sound off on taxpayers’ funds, government, Medicare."