Most people agree that everyone should pay their ‘fair’ share of taxes. The disagreement starts when we attempt to define “fair”. Webster’s dictionary defines ‘fair’ as a situation in which everyone is treated equally and in a reasonable way, and states further that ‘fair’ is reasonable and morally right. President Obama raised the issue of fairness in his 2012 State of the Union address, with the implied message that our tax rate tables are unfair because Warren Buffet is paying a lower income to tax ratio than his secretary.

Our current tax code doesn’t treat each taxpayer equally. That would be a flat tax where each taxpayer pays the same percentage of their income in taxes, including the income received from investments and capital gains. Our tax code is knee-deep with exemptions, credits, and deductions that reduce the amount of taxes we pay from the full amount owed based on our gross income, and capital gains are taxed differently than wages. It’s not equal; it wasn’t designed to be equal. However, unequal doesn’t necessarily mean unfair. A taxpayer with a large mortgage paying higher amounts of interest will pay less in taxes than another taxpayer with the same income and no mortgage. Many self-employed taxpayers take full advantage of the deductions available to them, reduce their taxable income and pay far less in taxes than the employees. When President Obama compared Warren Buffet’s tax rate to his secretary, far too much detail was omitted to fully understand the comparison. Does she have a spouse with taxable income as well? At close to 36% tax rate, she is likely to have income greater than 97% of the population. Not bad for a middle class secretary. They call it spin for a reason and it’s disappointing to me that our President would attempt to mislead our nation on such a transparent issue.

I think we can all agree that millionaires and billionaires should pay their fair share of taxes. The top 1% of taxpayers pays more taxes than the entire bottom 95% combined. Should they pay more? What is a ‘fair’ share? Fundamental tax reform may be necessary, but it will take fundamental change in how our government, Federal and State, operates and functions. In the meantime, I’ll finish my tax return and send in my fair share.

The changing of the calendar to a new year is typically seen as a time for fresh starts and new beginnings.

For Blue Springs, 2012 will be the year in which we see visible progress on the Missouri Innovation Park on Adams Dairy Parkway. As the University of Missouri prepares to break ground at its permanent location in Blue Springs, its involvement and commitment will raise the visibility and viability of MIP to the world’s animal-health-related companies, along with other entities and organizations.

It will take time, but we anticipate the demand for locations within the MIP will result in new, high-quality jobs for Blue Springs residents and those in the surrounding areas.

This year will also see the installation of the new digital radio system for our Police Department. This system, paid for by the public safety tax that Blue Springs voters approved last year, will substantially improve our Police Department’s communication ability and will help make our city safer. The improvements to the public safety building will enhance downtown and provide an improved workplace for our police officers.

Hopefully, 2012 will see progress on the regional transit proposal, which could bring even more activity to our downtown in the coming years.

The redevelopment of Woods Chapel Road continues, and residents will see utilities relocated this spring in preparation for the widening and resurfacing from Duncan Road on the north all the way south to Walnut Street. Right-of-way acquisition is under way, and we should see work on the road begin this year, with scheduled completion scheduled for 2013. The new diverging diamond interchange at Interstate 70 will improve the flow of traffic, especially during rush hour, and the signalized intersection at Duncan Road will make that area safer and less congested.

I would also like to take this opportunity to express my sincerest appreciation for the many cards, notes, copies of the newspaper and kind words regarding the story of the Christmas ornaments from my birth mother. To Martin Augustine of KMBC Channel 9 News and Lee Hill Kavanaugh of The Kansas City Star, thank you for telling the story in such a wonderful and compassionate manner. The response has been overwhelming and very much appreciated. For those who missed the stories, they can be viewed at http://bit.ly/QuibellOrnaments and http://bit.ly/AnnChristmas.
Happy new year, everyone! I look forward to another year of sharing with you all of the great things happening in Blue Springs!

NOTICE OF SPECIAL ELECTION
JACKSON COUNTY, MISSOURI
TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 8, 2011

Notice is hereby given to the registered qualified voters of Jackson County, Missouri, that
the Jackson County Legislature has called a Special Election, pursuant to Ordinance Number 4334, to be held in said County on Tuesday, November 8, 2011. The polls will be open from 6 a.m. until 7 p.m.

QUESTION
Shall a retail sales tax of one-eighth of one percent (1/8%) be levied and collected for the benefit of the Kansas City Zoological District, which shall be created and consist of the county of Jackson and the counties of Cass, Clay, and/or Platte, if approved by such other county’s voters, for the support of zoological activities within the district?

The Missouri Municipal League hosts training sessions for elected officials, providing advice and training to assist us in understanding our roles in city government and to teach us what and even more importantly, what not, to do.

I recently attended this training session in Jefferson City to refresh and update my knowledge. The laws of our state change frequently, and I believe that it is important for elected officials to be as knowledgeable as possible about the position and responsibilities we have accepted.

Topics include the history and structure of Missouri municipal government. There are actually several types or designations of cities in our state, with the Missouri Revised Statutes providing the guidance for each type of city. In the case of Blue Springs, we are a home rule charter city. Cities with a home rule charter are guided by a written charter, approved by a vote of their citizens. Our Charter was adopted on April 5, 1994 and set the rules by which our city is run. You can read a copy of the Charter on the city website at http://bit.ly/BlueSpringsCharter.

Other topics taught include “Revenue Sources and the Hancock Amendment,” “Municipal Budget Process,” “The Missouri Open Meetings and Records Law,” “Parliamentary Procedures, Citizen Dialog and Conflict Resolution.” “Ethics” and “Liability and Risk.”

Exciting stuff.

The “Liability and Risk” class is very important because elected officials who do not fully understand this issue may unwittingly put our residents at risk or cause additional costs to be borne by the taxpayer. Our responsibilities also include enacting ordinances and resolutions as necessary to achieve the objectives of the city and respond to the needs of our residents.

Ministerial decisions are another responsibility of an elected official. A ministerial duty or decision can be defined as one in which a public official is required to perform under a given state of facts, in a prescribed manner, in obedience to the mandate of legal authority.

Basically, if all discretionary precursors to an official act have been completed, and all that remains to be done is the act itself, courts may compel a municipal official to perform such action. In these decisions, there is often little or no room for discretion.

For all these reasons, it is a good policy for councilmen to periodically attend these types of training sessions.

You never know what tidbit of knowledge will help save precious taxpayer dollars.

Once again, it’s election time, as you can tell by the proliferation of political signs, letters to the editor, and junk mailings filling up our mail boxes. There are politicians who say they represent our interests, politicians who say they aren’t politicians, and opinion column writers, current and former politicians. How do we weed out the facts from the spin and make good decisions in selecting our next leaders? It’s difficult if not impossible to effectively verify the statements made by politicians in a timely manner. We often believe what we read or hear, especially if we know or trust the source.

As I read the letters to the editor and added my own comments to several, it occurred to me that those letters have been written with the best of intentions, usually to help friends with their efforts to win an election. Letters of support to express our own individual opinion of the person, not necessarily that the person we are supporting will in the end vote the way we think they should. Our elected officials surprise us at times with their comments, and their votes not always in sync.

So how do we as voters figure out whom to cast our vote for? Whom do we believe? The answer is simple and hard at the same time. We should make every effort to learn more about the people we are supporting, and we should dig more deeply than just our personal relationship with that person. Friendship is one thing; voting is another.

I really wasn’t surprised when I read Ron Fowler’s letter to the editor supporting Sheila Solon, as they are longtime political friends with similar positions on local issues. Ron wrote about how Sheila voted against multi-family housing complexes. What he didn’t mention is that she votes for them as well. Right or wrong, she is inconsistent on this issue. Once in February 2003 she voted to put multi-family zoning on Adams Dairy Parkway and twice that I recall in 2007 while I was on the council serving with her.

Ron also talks about Sheila voting against sales taxes. Those votes were actually against the new retail development on Adams Dairy Parkway. The next time you sit down for dinner at Olive Garden or shop at Target or Gordman’s, consider that she fought hard to stop Adams Dairy Landing from coming to town. Just before she left city office, she worked very hard to scale back Missouri Innovation Park from its original 500 acres to just 100 acres. Her actions would have restricted job growth in Blue Springs at a time when we need more high-quality jobs. Again, she is inconsistent after making “real jobs” a focal point of her council campaign.

Former Councilman Solon, as pointed out by Mayor Ross in a recent article, was very ineffective as an elected official while on the City Council. I expect it would be no different in Jefferson City. Fortunately, the voters have a choice on Aug. 3. I would recommended giving strong consideration to Mike Parker. I’ve spent some time getting to know him and believe that he will best represent the interests of his constituents and will be an effective leader.

Sometimes hope is found in the simplest of places. Monday evening, the Blue Springs City Council unanimously passed a consent agenda containing hope that the K-Mart building at 40 and 7 Highways may soon find new life and new opportunities.

Since 2003, the vacant building has been a frustration for residents and city officials, as many looked for ways to eliminate the blight that K-Mart’s closing brought to that intersection. One of the challenges in addressing the situation involved the bankruptcy proceedings that continued for several years after the store closed. It was not until late in 2006 those Tri-Land properties purchased the site and began the process of exploring options with the city regarding possible redevelopment. Several years have again passed, leaving people to wonder if anything is ever going to happen. More...

In 2008 the voters of Blue Springs approved funds to expand and improve Woods Chapel Road from Interstate 70 south to the railroad tracks.

The first step in redeveloping Woods Chapel Road is acquiring the rights of way on both sides of the road. Widening the road cannot occur until this step is complete. This is a time-consuming process that involves properly compensating the property owners and establishing easements for the new sections of roadway.

While right-of-way acquisition is under way, the traffic engineers are creating the plans for the roadway modifications. These activities take time and provide no visible progress to residents in the community. As with most projects and developments, many significant steps are required that lay the groundwork for completion. This important project has progressed normally with completion anticipated in 2013. The current anticipated schedule for each section of the road is:

* I-70 to Castle Drive out for bid in March 2011, substantial completion by December 2012
* I-70 to Duncan out for bid in March 2011, substantial completion by December 2012
* Castle to railroad out for bid in March 2012, substantial completion by December 2013

As the western gateway to our city, Woods Chapel Road is a critical north-south connection for many residents. Improvements to this area are long overdue and are likely to facilitate the retail growth and redevelopment that the residents of this area of the city have long desired.

This is just a reminder to go to the polls and vote for the Combat Tax renewal in Jackson County!

When is a lake not just a lake? When it also functions as a storm-water detention basin! A lake that functions as a storm-water detention basin is called a wet retention basin.

Now, what’s so important about detention/retention basins? The big issue is actually the maintenance of detention basins and who is responsible for the different components of the system. As the City Council prepares to address this issue, we need to think about the potential cost to all of us, as taxpaying citizens.

Here’s some background. Throughout our city is a network of detention basins that are a part of our stormwater management system. Our city requires developers to participate in expanding our stormwater system whenever they build a new subdivision. By law, a development must manage the on-site storm water so it leaves the property at the same rate or less than before the development was built. Detention basins provide for the storage and slow release of excess water during a storm. This helps protect our homes and property from water damage.

Here’s where it gets a little murky. Some developers choose to combine an amenity such as a lake with their detention basins. These lakes serve two primary functions: controlling storm water runoff and adding beauty, recreational opportunities and increased value to the homes in the subdivision. This provides a desirable private amenity for the use and enjoyment of the property owners.

Currently, our city provides for the maintenance of all of our city’s detention basins, including those that are combined with private lakes in some of our upscale subdivisions. It is the city’s responsibility to ensure that our stormwater system functions properly, that the basin is able to adequately manage the flow of water and properly release it. As taxpaying citizens, we all share in that responsibility through our taxes.

Recently, a number of homeowners whose subdivisions include these lake/detention basin combinations have approached the City Council, requesting to have the city pay for maintenance of their lake. Over time, lakes fill up with silt and periodically have to be dredged. Dredging is expensive, and doing it – or choosing to let the silt fill in – has no effect on the ability of the basin to control storm water. Dredging simply maintains the amenity for the subdivision.

I am confident that the city will continue to meet its responsibility of maintaining all of our stormwater detention basins, as it has for many years. The question is whether we, the taxpayers, should also have the responsibility of maintaining private lakes. If you have an opinion on this important issue, you should call your city councilman and let them know. Their contact information is available at http://tinyurl.com/bscontact.

During my time in office I had the pleasure of corresponding with thousands of Blue Springs residents regarding city business. On Saturday’s Examiner opinion page, one of those residents raised some good points that should be considered when talking about the Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation.

It is true. I have a bias in favor of the Blue Springs EDC. It is also true that I am one of the investing partners in the Blue Springs EDC. When the public/private partnership of the Blue Springs EDC was formed, the City Council continued the $300,000 annual budget allocation that had previously funded the city’s Economic Development Department as the public side of the venture.

The city then solicited businesses and private individuals to partner in the formation of the EDC, to be advocates for growth in Blue Springs. Those investing partners may be found at http://bit.ly/bsedcmem

From 2005 through 2011, Wanda and I have paid and/or committed $15,000 of our own personal funds through our company, CPros. As local IT professionals and custom software developers, we believe in giving back, and this is just one of the ways we choose to support our community.

Each of you living in Blue Springs is committed by the City Council to an annual contribution of approximately $5.45 (or a total of $32.70 over six years) through the taxes that you pay to the city each year.

So what is the return on the investment that Mr. Comerford is referring to in his letter, which he believes will benefit me financially? That return is economic growth for our city. And the great thing about this return is that each Blue Springs resident receives exactly the same return on your investment as I do.

Let’s talk about what that means to each of us. Is that investment worth having a new Target store in town? Is it worth getting a shopping center with Gap Outlet, Staples, Petco, Famous Footwear, Gordman’s, Maurices, Olive Garden, Chipotle, Gamestop, Arby’s, Sally Beauty Target, Lowes and Books-A-Million? Is it worth seeing three tired old strip malls totally refurbished? Is it worth capturing a science and technology park that will bring thousands of 21st-century, high-paying, quality jobs to our city and position Blue Springs as an international research destination?

I believe my investment is justified, and I’m proud to support the EDC in its efforts to provide quality growth for Blue Springs. Each one of you can communicate your belief to your councilmen. There is much more work to do, but each of you should feel confident that our EDC is effectively and professionally promoting our city and bringing new retail and employment opportunities to Blue Springs!

The Blue Springs Economic Development Corporation is non-profit, and its investing partners receive no direct financial benefit.