Election Musing: No Fun to Take the GOP Ballot!

As I was looking at the ballot for the coming election I saw again the results of living in an area where one party dominates the landscape locally.  Once you get past the national and statewide races, the ballot for republicans in Jackson County gets very boring.  Many races feature that very busy entity, "No candidate filed."  Meantime on the democratic ballot, we have such juiciness as the Moreno-Runions race, with its dueling mailers and flying accusations. You just can't beat the Jackson County Sheriff race for silliness and drama...
It leaves the right leaning voter with a difficult choice:  take a GOP ballot to have a say in the 8 person race to be the republican nominee for the US Senate race against incumbent Claire McCaskill, the 4 person race to decide the nominee for Missouri governor, the 4 person race for lieutenant governor, and so on, down to whether or not to give Jacob Turk another crack at Emanual Cleaver or take a Democratic ballot as to vote on those local people who in the end might have more influence in the daily life of the voter but have no say in who will take on Claire, or Jay Nixon on the GOP side.
Too bad you can't split the ballot apart or run the local races non-partisan; it would be interesting to see if removing this annoying Hobson's choice made a difference in results or turnout in the end.

Election Coming Up August 7

Most of the shouting has been about the big day in November but the election on August 7 will set the table for that big day, as well as determine winners of one party races locally.  In addition, three "issues" are on the   Kansas City ballot.  As a public service, the Observer will display the ballot language on the issues.  With 95 days before the big deal in November, some may think this August vote unimportant.  Reading these city ballot issues might help that apathy.  (Excuse me, you mean that sales tax has no sunset?)


OFFICIAL BALLOT
STATE OF MISSOURI
PRIMARY ELECTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT
CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT NO. 2
Proposed by the 96th General Assembly (First Regular Session) HJR 2
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure:
That the right of Missouri citizens to express their religious beliefs shall not be infringed;
That school children have the right to pray and acknowledge God voluntarily in their schools; and
That all public schools shall display the  Bill of Rights of the United States Constitution.
It is estimated this proposal will result in little or no costs or savings for state and local governmental entities.

OFFICIAL BALLOT
CITY OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI
SPECIAL ELECTION, TUESDAY, AUGUST 7, 2012
QUESTION 1
Shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri:
Prohibit the renewal of the expired annual $12.50 per motor vehicle fee,
Cease billing and collecting the trafficway maintenance tax by setting its assessment at $0.00,
Cease billing and collecting the park and boulevard maintenance tax by setting its assessment at $0.00,
Cease billing and collecting the boulevards and parkways front foot assessment by setting its assessment at $0.00,
Enact as a replacement a parks sales tax of ½-cent authorized by Section 644.032 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri for the purpose of providing for the maintenance and operations of local parks, parkways, boulevards and community centers,
Establish a dedicated fund to be used exclusively for street maintenance, and
Transfer no less than 7.5% of the net annual earnings tax receipts to the dedicated street maintenance fund effective January 1, 2013 and each following year for as long as the parks sales tax is in effect?
QUESTION 2
Shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri issue sanitary sewer system revenue bonds in the principal amount not to exceed $500,000,000 for the purpose of extending and improving the sanitary sewer system of the City, including compliance with the federally mandated Consent Decree for the Overflow Control Program, with the principal and interest of the bonds to be payable solely from the revenues derived by the City from the operation of its sanitary sewer system?

For voting information for Kansas City residents, visit the Election Board's website linked here.

Public Reaction to Mass Shootings

Unfortunately, the United States is the world leader in mass shootings--one, occasionally two people with weapons going to a public place and shooting people.  Sometimes it is a random act and sometimes the shooter has a motive of anger or revenge.  It is always shocking to us because it occurs in our common spaces--our shopping malls, movie theaters, schools or work places--where we feel relatively safe.  We don't expect to be wounded or killed when we are in the store.
The typical blather has been heard after this latest shooting incident in Colorado.  Gun control, terrorism, and mental health care have been among the topics explored.  Included in this are questions about Barack Obama and Mitt Romney's stance on those same topics. 
It is not the discussion or even the talking points that are so irritating.  It is the self appointed experts, blathering along, seemingly without a care about the losses to the families or trauma to the community that are so irritating.  Also, it becomes increasingly difficult to strike a balance in public expression:  after Columbine or Virgina Tech did we have a presidential proclamation or put the flags at half staff?  Did political discourse grind to a complete halt?  What to make of ABC News deciding that a certain man named Holmes was the shooter without fact checking something as simple as age?
At some point we will have to ask questions, but now, with families still reeling from the physical and psychic trauma and little or no information about the shooter and his possible motives, is not the time for such things. Stick to just the facts, mam, and keep the self appointed experts and professional arguers away.

On John Sharp

John Sharp has been involved in something in Kansas City just about the entire time I have lived here--and never have I felt more ambivalence towards a politician.  So often he seems to have insight into situation--the reason I am writing this blog is his grasp of this city's need for a new animal shelter building.  His statements as reflected in this Kansas City Star article are very encouraging that he has a grasp of the issues.  I have seen Mr. Sharp reflect sensibly on some other issues as well.  Early on in the MAST/KCFD debacle, he was  a reluctant supporter of a city take over of the EMS; at first working  towards creating an EMS department, separate from KCFD.  Gradually, pushed by Louie Wright and the political power of local 42, Mr. Sharp caved, but  many of his early statements on KCMO's  EMS were pretty good.
In addition to his insights, Mr.  Sharp is visible in the sixth district, especially east of 71 highway.  His rapport with those in the east side of the 6th is obvious, and his fight to preserve the old council boundaries no doubt grew out of this personal comfort zone.  Still, rare is the event, opening, or dedication that does not have Mr. Sharp in attendance.  I have also seen him in such places as the neighborhood McDonald's.  I think that is pretty cool.
Yet...yet.  When John Sharp was involved with MAST, money became a problem, and most pointed at John   Sharp as the problem.  When John Sharp left the Hickman Mills C-1 school board, many were glad to see him go.  Many disliked his defense of the old 6th district boundaries, his advocacy for some of the plans to redevelop the Bannister Mall site, and the way he brought about the water spray park on Longview Road.  Sometimes when you observe Mr. Sharp it appears that he was more interested in promoting John Sharp and his agenda.  Sometimes, Mr. Sharp seems very sharp indeed, sometimes he appears quite dull, and other times, he seems most concerned with John Sharp.

John Sharp is termed out in 2015.  He has been involved in administrating government services, and making political decisions for over 20 years--closer to 30.  It will be interesting to see where John Sharp goes from here.  On the one hand, he is a perceptive, available member of government, who is at ease with the people who elected him.  On the other hand, his actual performance often falls short, creating problems that have to be fixed.  You watch him in action, you think he has some potential to be someone who can govern wisely and well, and then...you find yourself a bit disappointed.

Really, I Like This Place!

After reading the comments to the last post, I want to say something and that something is that this blogger does not hate all things Kansas City!  I love the fact that there are some world class amenities here, and some things that our city does very well.  I like our sports teams, our Plaza, our boulevards.  I like what comes here because of what we have here.
As one of the comments alluded to, it is a balancing act between insuring that essentials are taken care of and investing in things that look forward.  Anything that looks forward is by its nature risky, since we can't tell the future.  As anyone who has run a small business, or been close to a small business, knows you must look forward, as well as maintaining the quality of the work you do now.  If you don't, you run the risk of falling behind.
I do think that if we underestimate the risk we are at right now, we could end up in a bad spot.  Maybe not East St. Louis bad, or Detroit bad, but still in a place we don't wish to be as a city.
I have long felt that a prolonged diet of bad news, as provided by the "if it bleeds, it leads" media, is bad for one's personal outlook.  The news programming feeds fear.  I have long maintained that the decay of the Bannister Mall area was accelerated by the news coverage given to each and every incident.  This was compounded by the mall's poor PR efforts.  The enclosed mall might have eventually died anyway, as many have in the metro, but from the more natural causes of changes in consumers' habits.  The death would have been slower; thus easier to prepare for and less damaging to the self esteem and unity of the community.  When the movie theater opened at Red Bridge not long ago, I remarked to a friend that I hoped that folks from Johnson County would come over to enjoy the art films and smaller venue offered by the cinema.  My friend didn't think JoCo people would come over.  This startled me, and when  I said something, my friend said they were scared to come over.
Part of our quandary is trying to figure out our identity.  There was a period in the 1970s and early 1980s--paradoxically when eastern cities were really struggling--where it looked like Kansas City would become more then just a pleasant medium large city.  Along the way, sometime in the late 1980s or 1990s, something changed.  I am not sure what is was, but something changed in this city, and in the economic conditions surrounding it.  Kansas City stopped looking so go-go.  I think those go-go times are past--and that is not a slam on the city.  We are what we are.  We are not New York, Chicago, or LA.  Some of the things we've done may have been too big for our britches.  We need to learn from that, and settle on our identity, and glory in that.
What is happening on the East Side of town does impact all the city.  People don't take in the fact that that is just a small part of the city, and lump the whole town in to the East Side.  It requires our attention.  Furthermore, the trust issue with City Hall needs to be resolved.  City Hall needs to prove that it really is good with the money.  The grifters need to be stuffed, sent away empty handed.
So no, I don't have a grim view of the city's future. I have a cautious view of the city's future.  I have an investment of time and treasure here.  I have investments in the people here.  I want to see success, not failure.  I just think we need to be careful, and not reckless in the risks we take.
(A little choppy, but written in reaction to other stuff. )

Caring About Kansas City

I am trying to write this from my heart, and I am struggling to get started.  I want to talk about caring about a city, caring enough to fight for its future, caring enough to wonder why others don't care, watching divisions ruin neighborhoods with fear and distrust, watching leadership that is too busy sticking its nose in the trough to call people to account for their behavior, watching money wasted...
When we left New York City in 1974, the place was falling apart--at least that was the perception.  The grimy graffiti stained streets gave the impression of a city out of control, riddled with crime.  The news media and popular culture helped it along with their reporting and portrayals of the city.  If you are old enough, you remember them:  "Death Wish"  "The Warriors"  "Fort Apache: The Bronx" among others.  In 1975, President Gerald Ford vetoed the bill that would have bailed out the city as it teetered on insolvency.  (According to this article, Mr. Ford never did tell the city to "drop dead" as the New York Daily News reported.)
New York survived.  The feds did help out with loan guarantees, not unlike the bailing out of Chrysler, the city eventually paid it all back.  Gradually New York cleaned up its act and was once again a great city.  Not perfect by any means, but taking care of its needs and making priorities.  When 9/11/2001 happened, it did not happen to a city that would crumple under the pressure of the tragedy .
I have lived in the Kansas City metro since 1989:  The first years in Grandview, and then a home owner in South Kansas City.  It's not New York--only downtown reminds me of the city of my birth.  New Yorkers would be amazed at the openness of the city, the fact of yards and houses.  Kansas City would do well to remember that it is not a big city like New York or Chicago.  The Kansas City experience is not the big city experience.  Kansas City has its own unique vibe.  And it is still a place where people can succeed, can meet goals, can find a satisfying life.
However, each day that headlines blare out about violent crime, each time someone is affected by property crime, each time that the infrastructure fails, each time public safety is cut instead of projects, each time City Hall shows selfishness and a lack of common sense in its planning is one more time where people start asking questions about how viable the city is, and how it will thrive, how it will turn things around and whether it can.
There is much that is good about our great city.  However, we are suffering for a lack of people willing to take responsibility for their actions and hold communities to account.  We are suffering for all the divisions--Black/White, leadership/people, rich/poor, etc. etc.  It will not be easy to turn around, it will hurt and it will probably cost someone their political career.
I found it interesting that one of the conclusions of the article I linked above is that the way things worked out, it was for the best.  Many thought that if the president had given in then, New York might never have recovered.  But that big headline cost President Ford his reelection bid.  We need that kind of strength now in our town.
Just a few thoughts from someone who still gives a damn, who likes living here, and wants to live in a great city.

NO NEW TAXES!

Long ago I decided my vote on any new tax proposals would be no. Nothing said by the new gang at City Hall has changed my mind.
No to mass transit.
No to any tax that is not designated as to where it will be spent.
I would vote for a sales tax to help with the water system if three things are a part of it: 1) the water company comes under professional management 2) it sunsets or has an expiration date. 3) there is a moratorium on rate increases greater then 10% for KCMO water customers.
I do not trust this group at City Hall with a new pot of money provided by Kansas City's taxpayers! The fact that Kansas City's leadership has lost so much of the trust of the people IS eventually going to hinder the progress of this town. Too many promises have been made; too many projects have wandered off track; too much money has been spent where results have not been productive or worse-- we don't know where the money went.
So, as I said, no new taxes, with the narrow exception I noted above.
City Hall, you should take note. And note this: I am not alone. We don't trust you any more. Regular citizens are pretty much convinced that the government does not work for them--in either sense.

No Kill Kansas City?

The Observer took an evening and went to hear a man named Nathan Winograd speak.  Mr. Winograd is a former lawyer who has become intensely involved in the rethinking of how to work with homeless companion animals.  It was a very interesting and very challenging presentation.
In a nutshell, Mr. Winograd believes that if you do certain things whole heartedly and have leadership committed to the idea of not killing animals that can be placed in homes, you can reduce the number of companion animals that are killed in an animal shelters.  Over 4 million animals were killed in animal shelters in the United States in 2010.  Winograd believes more lives can be saved and the leading cause of death for cats and dogs is not being killed in an animal shelter.
Winograd has worked in several shelters around the United States, both as a leader and a consultant.  His formula for action is for animal shelters to do the following things and make a commitment from kennel floor to boardroom to not killing healthy animals for whom it is possible to find homes.
1. high-volume, low/no-cost spay/neuter
2. comprehensive adoptions
3. foster care
4. use of volunteers
5. marketing/public relations
6. medical care and rehabilitation
7. behavior care and rehabilitation
8. neuter and release (TNR)
9. working with rescue groups
10. pet retention efforts
11. proactive redemptions

Mom cat and kittens at KC Pet Project

Most of this list is pretty self explanatory:  reduce the numbers of cats and dogs born in a year, adopt as many as possible, use foster care as a bridge to adoption or further rescue, lots of volunteers to spread out the work load and give the best possible care to animals, making sure the community knows about the shelter and the animals therein, caring for the medical and behavioral needs of animals in the shelter, trapping feral cats and returning them to locations creating stable colonies,  working with other organizations in a cooperative manner, helping pet owners solve problems so they can keep their pets instead of having to give them up to a shelter, and helping owners find and be reunited with their lost pets.  After hearing and reading about the success stories, a person could think that this is possible.  I still think it is possible, but in this spring season of puppies and kittens, and watching many animals come in the front door of the Kansas City Missouri shelter, and not very many go back out that same front door in the possession of families and rescues, it seems like a very large task.  It was discouraging today to look around the KCMO shelter and watch the staff and volunteers of Kansas City Pet Project labor with the knowledge that not enough animals had yet found their way out the front door.  
I am still digesting what Mr. Winograd said and still reading his books.  One thing is clear to me.  You can't just do one of these  items listed above--you need to do all of them, and not halfway.  Some of them interlock as well.  However, the spring is when the scope of the problem is truly appreciated.  It's not just that there are many animals, it is just that it isn't their fault they have ended up in the situation they find themselves and it becomes a matter of proper stewardship and care to find a solution to homeless pets that does not involve killing them.
Kansas City Pet Project is less than six months old in operating the Kansas City Missouri shelter.  They are still building their base of donors, volunteers, and foster families.  If you are interested in helping the shelter in anyway, visit the website, www.kcpetproject.org or call 816-513-9821.
For more on the work of Nathan Winograd visit www.nathanwinograd.com.

Adoptable dog at KC Pet Project