Mar

27

Star campaigning against earnings tax?

March 27, 2008 | 4 Comments

The earnings tax has been in the news quite a bit lately. Tony claims the city is quietly working on a plan to raise the tax in order to deal with the budget shortfall.  There might just be some truth to this, since the Star seems to be slamming the earnings tax from multiple directions. It almost looks like a coordinated campaign to shape events and public policy.

1) In recent stories about regional funding of things like the zoo, Star reporters always take time to argue that the earnings tax is already a form of regional funding. 2) For several weeks the Star’s web site has had a banner looking readers with incorrect tax bills, obvious groundwork for some kind of report or expose on the earnings tax. 3) Today Lenexa resident Dave Helling posts a big anti-earnings tax essay on the Prime Buzz.

Obviously some suburbanites do pay the earnings tax and it helps pay for their use of things like streets, sidewalks, police protection, etc.  But the fact is that only a small portion of suburbanites work in the city limits.  Most of them work in the suburbs and provide no direct support for regional facilities and programs.

Categories: Earnings Tax, Media


Comments

4 Comments so far

  1. Dustin on March 27, 2008 2:07 pm

    Don’t forget about all of the suburbanites that pay sales taxes for purchases in KC, MO. How about developers with property in KC, MO that don’t pay taxes? Leave them alone and tax the people that don’t have property there? This is stupid, KC, MO is stupid with their handling of taxes. Start fulfilling the needs of the community with infrastructure repairs and let the private community worry about things like the arts, zoo, etc.

  2. ChrisM70 on March 27, 2008 3:05 pm

    “But the fact is that only a small portion of suburbanites work in the city limits.”

    Do you have a story/article/report to back that up?

    I’m not doubting your claim – I would just like to read more about that issue.
    ——-
    On a side note: Perhaps if Missourians didn’t spend so much time trashing those who live in Kansas, maybe Kansans wouldn’t be so hesitant to cooperate. The incredible hatred and negativity I hear from people regarding Kansas is ridiculous. As a Kansan, I spend a LOT of time in Missouri supporting downtown, and I’m guessing that many other Kansans do as well, and I still wouldn’t have a problem paying a little more to help support some important projects inside Missouri. I am still amazed sometimes how there is really NO real tourist attractions on the KS side (not including the recently-new racetrack/Legends shopping).

    We are all one big metro area, and we all benefit from a vital downtown, a zoo, and the arts.

    My point: Less finger-pointing and more action.

  3. Patty on March 27, 2008 9:45 pm

    did you know the chiefs and the royals players do not pay an e-tax? Even though they work in Kansas city?

  4. dalia on September 4, 2008 9:43 pm

    Just came across this–I think one of the points you missed when focusing on the few suburbanites paying earnings tax : why do you think that is? I really do wonder how many businesses are locating outside city limits to avoid that tax. I would, if I were a business owner. There’s no doubt that downtown needs support, but how does the e-tax help if it drives out businesses that provide jobs and philanthropy and revenue? I think the e-tax deserves some scrutiny, especially if KC is considering raising it in response to mismanagement of the support they’ve already received. If anything, KC-ians deserve a break.

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