By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Board
Kansas Citians ought to vote no on Question 1 on Tuesday.
They should reject the scare campaign of bus supporters, who want Kansas Citians to rush to renew a sales tax to raise $375 million over the next 15 years.
I rode Area Transportation Authority buses for many years in Kansas City. They provide a valuable service, especially to low-income and central city residents.
However, the timing of the April bus-tax election is all wrong. And the ATA may be asking for too much money.
The bus agency wants to get its hands on the money before it has placed any kind of light-rail system before the people.
Voters should reject the ATA’s request to renew the three-eighths-cent sales tax. Then the ATA should continue with its comprehensive transit plan, which could be part of a complete funding package on the November ballot.
That integrated system even might include less money for buses, especially if the light-rail system is well thought out.
And remember, the bus tax doesn’t expire until next April, a full year from now. The buses aren’t going to stop running with a “no” vote on Tuesday, as supporters imply.
What’s the rush?
The ATA, of course, is hastily trying to get its hands on all the tax money that voters had first approved in 2006 for Clay Chastain’s flawed light-rail plan.
(To be clear, this was the same three-eighths-cent tax that voters had first approved for the ATA's buses in 2003, for a five-year period.)
But the City Council in 2007 repealed the voters' endorsement of light rail. That decision came after the HNTB Corp. said Chastain’s plan was too expensive.
And look what just happened: HNTB gave a big, $25,000 donation to the ATA’s bus-tax campaign. This is the same firm benefiting from a multimillion-dollar contract with the ATA to design the city’s light-rail system.
Kansas Citians deserve a better transit plan. They can get one by rejecting Question 1 on Tuesday.
Yael T. Abouhalkah is a member of The Kansas City Star's Editorial Board.
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abuse of the public trust
I don't think as many people trust Yael as they used to. Probably more people than should trust him but if he keeps on like he has been, he will fade away sooner than later. I used to be a big fan of his for many years... not any more. Sad but true.
On the other hand, he doesn't work for me so I will leave him to his dwindling number of friends at the KC Star and to the Z Man for whom he works and from whom he draws his paycheck.
Light Rail Supporters Are Trying To Blackmail the Rest of Us
By not protecting the bus service now, Light rail supporters are forcing us to approve a light rail plan this fall in order to save the bus system. IT'S BLACKMAIL. It's sneaking. It's underhanded.
Please vote YES!!!! Light rail will come eventually. Don’t screw over all those hard working, low income people because you want it right now.
Abuse in a position of public trust
I'm sure candidates and issues appreciate the endorsement by the Star or individual writers. It comes with an opinion page where the favored campaign gets to print their message free of charge and gets free advertisments. Add blogging their message free and sharing information about the strategy of the other side with campaign operatives after interviews with them. I notice the similarity in message down to the rhetoric in this mornings paper and it is crystal clear what is happening. The opposition must pay for the space and fight for the equal time or simply go to other media to get a fair shake.
It didn't start with the Funkhouser campaign but it was more obvious in the high profile race that there was more than just casual interest. Did Yael urge his colleagues to support Funk? Did he call organizations that endorse and try to sway their support? Did he write articles promoting Funkhouser while those considerations were under discussion to influence the outcome?
Opinion writers have greater flexibility to add a personal slant but there is still a line and the reputation for fairness must never be called into question as it surly is if it looks like they are an extension of a campaign.
censorship
Are you going to delete my posts again Mr. Abouhalkah?
note to miriam pepper - if it's really you
Who is going to ride shotgun for Mayor Funk A Dunk if you all keep cutting Yael down? On the other hand, I am not so sure that the Star isn't ready to cut it's losses and begin to gut and undermine the Funk. I remind you that getting rid of Yael may be necessary (perhaps to preserve moral at the paper) but going after the Funk may not be necessary and you all might just want to sit back and let nature take it's course. Unless you all want to have a go at disposing of the Co-Mayors early in which case feel free to send me an e-mail and I will be the first to sign on (under conditions I have outlined before mostly on Prime Buzz).
ms pepper gives yael a shot
Wow! I can't believe I am seeing this. Unless the post is phony.
Any chance Yael you could clarify this? Or are you going to delete her post as well?
Watch out big guy, maybe sometime sooner than expected, someone is going to delete you. I wonder what the next stop after Midwest Voices is?
By the way, YTA, although it seems I am inafunkaboutyta also, I used to view you in the highest regard. And I am sad you have sunk this low and act the way you currently do.
Good post
It's silly to commit a tax increase for 15 years -- FIFTEEN YEARS -- without having it be part of a comprehensive transit overhaul, one which includes a passenger light rail plan at least somewhat similar to the one which we, the citizens, voted for last year, and which the City Council opted to toss out.
I'm voting against it, which will give the Council plenty of time to come up with a more reasonable and comprehensive proposal to put on the ballot for November.
Watch it Alphabet
This paper will drop you like a bad habit if you come out against any tax increase.