Public deserves right to vote on any tax increases
By Chris Walker (Contact)
Monday, January 2, 2012
On Thursday Lyon County Commissioners Scott Briggs, Rollie Martin, and Teresa Walters are set to vote on the proposal that will let Lyon County Extension merge with Frontier District, which would also give Lyon County Extension unlimited taxing authority.
Lyon County has high taxes, low income, and 64 percent of children are on free and reduced lunches in the Emporia School District. Any effort to increase taxes or to allow an entity to have unlimited taxing authority should be a monumantal decision for elected officials.
However the lack of conversation, details and speed with which the Lyon County Commissioners are moving should alarm Emporia and Lyon County residents.
Lyon County Extension does important work and we value its contributions to the community.
Extension receives $200,000 of taxpayer money and they are saying they really need to increase that to $250,000. Currently there is a check and balance system with their tax money because it is approved by the county commission. The passage of this item will increase taxes, give Extension unlimited taxing authority and diminish the check and balance system currently in place. Even with the valuable work that Extension does, we question how many residents are in favor of this.
We had hoped that commissioners would address the community’s concerns by discussing setting some limits on the proposed unlimited taxing authority but that has not happened in commission meetings.
Since this passage will mean higher taxes and impact residents inside the city and county, we challenge the county commissioners to let the community publicly vote on the issue in the next election.
As long as taxes are high and wages are low in our community, it is decisions like this that impact the citizens’ ability to prosper and that is why this is worth a significant community conversation.
This is a similar conversation to what Gov. Brownback has started at the state level. He has been focused on having taxpayer money fund key government functions like safety, education and helping those who can’t help themselves. He has taken criticism for his efforts to stop funding items that are not considered key government functions like the arts. But Brownback is focused on reducing government expenses to help the state and its citizens prosper.
It is also important for elected officials to watch the events that have happened nationally, like the occupy movements and sit-ins at state capitals. The message is clear: people want their elected officials to listen.
Since this issue involves potential tax increases for Emporians and Lyon County residents, we encourage county commissioners to let the public vote on this issue.
Chris Walker
Editor and Publisher
tourguide (anonymous) says...
If we can not vote on TAX INCREASES, Be sure and vote on the commissioners ousting from office. Who the HELL do they think they are ! Time to kick their ass to the curb. Enough of this out of control spending in Emporia, it's time to take our town back,,,
January 2, 2012 at 2:37 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Thank God and bless Chris Walker.
Thanks for taking a stand on what looks like a hurried agenda by the county commission. It looks like there is some editors blood in you after all. Take a stand and voice your opinion.
This is something we need from the news media. Questioning of government operations on all levels.
Sure would be interesting on what our local radio station owner thinks on this issue.
January 2, 2012 at 3:06 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cjbridges (anonymous) says...
Thank you, Mr. Walker.
History has shown, Lyon County and Emporia leaders have not been very responsible with tax payer money.
We cannot have non-elected persons taxing the people of Lyon County.
January 2, 2012 at 6 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Thank you Chris.
"Lyon County has high taxes, low income, and 64 percent of children are on free and reduced lunches in the Emporia School District."
As Chris stated this should be a warning sign, why on earth the people calling the shots can justify any tax increase at this point to me is insanity. We are losing jobs, and subsidizing the wrong ones. With Dolly on the ropes this town really is at precipice of going over the edge.
It's almost like they want to drive people out of here......
January 2, 2012 at 6:30 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
If they should vote for this garbage then its time for a recall on the county commish!
January 2, 2012 at 7:58 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I'm all for a recall. Chris is right, "...the lack of conversation, details and speed with which the Lyon County Commissioners are moving should alarm Emporia and Lyon County residents."
We ARE alarmed, and this is only going to get more sticky than it is now. If these commish can't take our failing local economy into consideration, then we need a new commission altogether.
Thanks Chris. Good to see you getting off your duff and speaking loudly for a change. Nice job!
January 2, 2012 at 9:50 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
Not that I condone this behavior in anyway, but I fear if things continue on their present course something like this could happen here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bB-cJW...
People have just had enough, and the more this kind of crap goes on and people think their votes don't matter, expect something drastic to happen.
Again I in no way condone what this man did, I am merely using this incident to show what can happen when people get desperate and frustrated.
January 3, 2012 at 12:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
thrashed (anonymous) says...
They dont care. Selfish agendas matter most.
January 3, 2012 at 8:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Since we're on the topic of politics here, perhaps some may be interested in the controversy Professor Stephen Bloom has raised regarding rural life and politics in Iowa. In reading it, I find similarity to our own area. The article is fearless, and like all satire, is hyperbolic in spots. But hyperbole is often very close to the truth. See if you don't agree.
I highlighted a couple of paragraphs.
"But relatively few rural Iowans are employed in the business of wind energy. The bulk of jobs here are low-income ones most Iowans don't want. Many have simply packed up and left the state (which helps keep the unemployment rate statewide low). Those who stay in rural Iowa are often the elderly waiting to die, those too timid (or lacking in educated) to peer around the bend for better opportunities, an assortment of waste-toids and meth addicts with pale skin and rotted teeth, or those who quixotically believe, like Little Orphan Annie, that "The sun'll come out tomorrow." "
"Of the students I teach, relatively few will stay in Iowa after they graduate. The net flow of Iowans is out, not in. Iowa's greatest export isn't corn, soybeans, or pigs; it's young adults. Many born in rural Iowa grow up educated due to the state's still-strong foundation of land-grant universities (although, that too is eroding) and abiding familial interest in education (on a per-capita basis, Iowa has more high school graduates than 49 other states). But once they're through college, they leave. Iowa is the number-two state in the nation in losing college-educated youth (only North Dakota loses more). "
"An interesting sidelight to the outflow problem is the rapid influx of Chinese students at the University of Iowa. The university vigorously recruits Chinese undergraduates, and has even set up an office in Beijing with the express purpose of attracting Chinese to study in Iowa (no other recruiting office exists anywhere else). Almost all come from well-heeled families, who pay full tuition for their children to attend college. Few speak passable English, almost all congregate in majors that require little English (math, biology and actuarial science), and many drive around town in brand-new sports cars. It's a strange sight to see in Flyover County -- dozens of Chinese students moving together en masse, the girls chattering away in Mandarin, always holding each others' hands. These wealthy, ill-prepared bonus babies are seen as the future of the University. If Iowa has fewer and fewer young people each year to fill the University's cavernous lecture halls, and the state is still a tough sell to coastal American kids, then it's China that's the next frontier as state support for higher education dwindles."
The Bloom article is an excellent read and I hope you find 15 minutes to read it.
http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/a...
January 3, 2012 at 8:44 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
Yeah, he sure stirred them hicks up. His wife got a death threat and he was in New York city doing an interview on nbc, hiding? He may have to take a leave of absence from teaching.
Got a watch those toothless meth heads. ;>)
January 3, 2012 at 12:38 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
sail (anonymous) says...
Chris glad to see you have come to the party... and have expressed publicly your concerns.Spending other peoples money is very addictive, it might be time for an interdiction at the next election....
January 3, 2012 at 4:45 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
dj (anonymous) says...
We are paying 4 agents, two office professionals, and assistants to take care of Lyon Co. How will raising taxes by setting your own tax base trade off with acquiing 5 more agents from other areas. Extension is doing a good job right here helping our community. But taxing us more is not helping the community which is struggling right now.
Districting was voted down before can they not see this is not what the community wants? Rush it thru and maybe no one will notice! Forget it!!!
January 4, 2012 at 7:23 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
They shouldnt even be concidering this!
January 4, 2012 at 9:08 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
ANY BETS?
The commission will o.k. this today with commissioner Walters leading the pack by saying something like this:
"If the people want to vote on this they can petition to have it put on the ballot."
betcha
January 5, 2012 at 7:22 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
Steve_Corbin (anonymous) says...
WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN TODAY.
The commission should say, not at this time, but let's put this on the ballot in the next election and let the voters decide.
January 5, 2012 at 7:24 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
goodoleboy (anonymous) says...
What will happen today is that most likely they will drive another nail in the coffin of this town.
January 5, 2012 at 8:48 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
netloafer (anonymous) says...
I just went down to the county courthouse. Not many people there. I found out that public comment on extension office is scheduled for 9:45 and vote on extension office is scheduled for 10. It would be good to get some public input. I'm not sure it will make a lot of difference in the vote, but people will be on the record.
January 5, 2012 at 8:50 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cwalker (anonymous) says...
If you want to watch the county commission meeting you can see it on Cable One channel 70 or at http://www.etv70.com.
January 5, 2012 at 8:57 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
Thanks Chris. Can't get out of the house after recent surgery, but sure do appreciate the coverage.
January 5, 2012 at 9:42 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
I guess the Gazette needs to press their button to switch from cable one's use. Oh well. I tried.
January 5, 2012 at 9:56 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
methusla (anonymous) says...
http://www.etv70.com., what a waste of time. Isn' t any better than Cable One or the governing bodies of our governments. " MESSED UP " !
January 5, 2012 at 10:18 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
netloafer (anonymous) says...
I went to the meeting. The only people who seemed in favor of the resolution were the extension office personnel, Rollie Martin, and Theresa Walters. The public comment was decidedly against the idea, but that didn't seem to make a difference. At this point there is a 60 day window to file a protest and have the issue placed before the voters.
January 5, 2012 at 11:26 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
create (anonymous) says...
At least now we know why our butts ache. Once again, they've shoved it to us.
Anybody gonna vote for Martin or Walters next time?
January 5, 2012 at 11:27 a.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
cwalker (anonymous) says...
The session was taped and we will post the airing times. Sorry for the technical problems.
January 5, 2012 at 1:35 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )
booker5m (anonymous) says...
Why wait on election? Recall both of them now!
January 5, 2012 at 6:49 p.m. ( permalink | suggest removal )