Dear Editor:
The vote by the City Council to approve the St. Mary's TIF is a vivid demonstration of the deterioration of quality of life in J.C. Lack of an explanation speaks volumes. The attempt to pass off fluff as explanation by Ken Hussy was vague and ridiculous. Any time "economic development" is cited in Jefferson City, you can be certain a sales tax will be levied on unknowing shoppers and funneled to private pockets. No explanations were given by the City Council or the TIF Commission. The same thing was true of the Capital Mall TIF.
Until the 1990s, Jefferson City was, to paraphrase Ronald Reagan, a shining city on a hill. Frequently, visitors were impressed enough at first sight to decide to move here. Local government decided to sneak taxes through by making the vote at an inconvenient time so only committed voters like J.C. Chamber members would vote. The culmination of that strategy was the Transformation Tax vote in February. Ken Hussy was also the father of that crooked scheme. It was a stunning defeat, but the shining light of Jefferson City was beginning to dim. Next was the attempt to zone Cole County. Their strategy was dishonest, but almost successful. Businesses have mostly worked outside of elections and used the council and county commissioners to get their hands on tax money and avoid paying their fair share of property taxes. They advocate sales taxes which are hidden to most people.
The shining light that was Jefferson City is pretty well out. Schools are a shambles due to poor decisions by the school board. Working citizens must pay their taxes while businesses abate their property tax.
Local government bows to the self-serving who are taking advantage of us. That is demonstrated by not rebuffing arguments presented by opposition, but hiding behind a wall of silence to avoid accountability.
Sadly, the quality of life has fallen to the point we should urge anyone we know to avoid moving to Jefferson City. We should tell everyone, including our children, that citizens are taken advantage of by businesses. Business interest are in control to the point local politicians know what they are doing is morally wrong, but vote for it anyway and then do their best to avoid giving an explanation.