Unfettered Letters

Wrong priorities

I think it’s sad when we will vote to raise taxes for things we don’t need — like the stadiums — rather than for the needs of people, like the elderly, homeless and handicapped.

I know of people who are suffering, and yet it seems more people care about sports than the needy. Now I see where people’s priorities sit. It’s sad, but it’s true.

All we are doing is making the rich richer and the poor poorer. I think people ought to think about that.

Edith Acker
Weston

Rolling roof

How many times must we say no at the polls (4/5, A-1, “Supporters of rolling roof set sights on August vote”)?

The rolling-roof issue was defeated. The taxpayers said no. We are providing money for the renovations of both stadiums. What more do they want? Evidently, they want it all.

Why should we pay for another election just to say no again and again? It is our money they are spending to convince us we want the roof.

Wake up, taxpayers. Stop letting special interests spend our money for repeat elections. This doesn’t work when your candidate isn’t elected. Why should it work for this?

Fran Hershey
Lee’s Summit

Name that roof

I have an idea for naming the sliding roof if it gets approved by the voters. Call it “The Pringle” and the let the company that make Pringles chip in for the cost.

Joe Martin
Olathe

Stadium vote

Re: “Stadium ‘if’ list adds Final Four” (3/30, A-1) Enough already! What next, the 2020 Olympics, the 2030 World Cup or the Second Coming (date somewhat indefinite)?

For anyone even vaguely wavering with regard to the substantive issues, this overhyped marketing campaign offers a perfect opportunity to just say no.

Sports fans are not stupid, and I hope they will not be bought off by these incredible blandishments from corporate football, baseball and basketball fat cats. Imagine the constructive uses that could be made of the $1.3 million the Chiefs and Royals are spending to pick our pockets, with the complicity of The Star.

John Tangeman
Kansas City

To K. Downing (3/30, Letters): I’m quite sure you (and others) would love to see Jackson County taxpayers take on another tax just so you, an out-of-county season ticketholder, can feel a little more comfortable during a Chiefs game.

No one, including you, has made a good argument as to why I should trust my county with half a billion dollars when it couldn’t even avoid defaulting on the 1990 lease agreements.

On the bright side, if Question 1 fails, maybe the Chiefs will move to your side of the state line, and you won’t have to drive as far to get to a game.

Matt Kennedy
Lee’s Summit

I am upset that only Jackson County gets to vote on the stadium issue. My grandmother lives in Hyde Park, and my mother, daughter and I go visit her every week to shop and eat. I work in Jackson County. Jackson County is where I go on the weekends for entertainment.

Well, guess what. Since this “doesn’t affect me,” my money will no longer affect Jackson County. I have decided to stop spending my money there, as should everyone else who did not get the chance to vote.

If this is such a great thing for all of Kansas City, why not tax us all and have it be a bistate vote? I know, because it would definitely fail. Just like before. Get a clue, people.

Elizabeth Balentine
Kansas City
(Clay County)

I have read over the last several weeks many letters from supporters of the tax hike for stadium improvements. I have found it interesting that most say they don’t go to games, either because of the cost or because of the poor quality of play. Yet their logic for voting yes is that we must keep Kansas City a “major-league” city.

What a shame that having a pro sports team seems to be their only criterion. It would be infinitely better to say we have good roads, clean and safe neighborhoods, more home ownership and less renting, businesses that don’t close and move to other cities. In other words, a true “major-league” city, which would be the envy of any populace.

Charles E. Smith
Kansas City

Other priorities

For a year our state and local governments have told us that taxpayers are strapped, that the people can give no more, that care for the poor and disabled costs too much.

Now we are being asked to raise $777 million. Would the seniors kicked off Medicaid then get relief? Would children waiting for disability services get help?

No, a losing sports team would get a bigger bullpen.

Marie Antoinette, famous for responding, “Let them eat cake,” to her hungry subjects, must be giggling from heaven. What parallel rejoinder could she make to our situation?

“Let them learn Braille”? “Let them get shots”?

Au contraire! The correct response would be, “Let them play ball,” or, better still, “Let them strike out.”

Seriously, vote no for the stadium tax.

Janice Stephenson Stallings
Kansas City

It’s an area issue

I hate the state and county lines that separates us all too often. I was born in Kansas City, Kan., and have lived in Independence, Kansas City and now Overland Park for more than 55 years. This area is my home.

I want to vote on Tuesday, but I cannot. I would gladly pay the sales tax increase to fund these improvements when I spend in Kansas City, which I do frequently.

I think a yes vote is important. I think it demonstrates vision, pride and confidence in our area.

When I am away from home and people ask where I am from, I say Kansas City, not Overland Park. Often they will acknowledge the Chiefs, Royals or Harry Truman. The Royals and the Chiefs are a big part of our identity.

I hope the people of Jackson County vote yes on both measures.

And please, can we start a dialogue again about bistate taxes on issues like this one in the future? It is unfair to put the burden primarily on Jackson County. The impact of this issue concerns all of our area, and we should all bear the cost.

Jim Farrell
Resident of the Kansas City area
(Overland Park)

Don’t ignore real cost

On NPR recently, Albert Riederer (“Save Our Stadiums” co-chairman) said that we shouldn’t concern ourselves with the interest on the proposed $575 million stadium renovations.

To paraphrase Mr. Riederer: “When you buy a $10,000 car, you don’t talk about the interest you pay. You say, ‘I bought a $10,000 car.’.”

The truth is that smart consumers do consider the interest, particularly when dealing with slick salesmen trying to pressure them into a deal only available today.

The pro-tax push is all about de-emphasizing the costs, overemphasizing the benefits and drumming up emotional support for “saving the teams.”

Jackson County voters are being blackmailed into approving a bad deal stemming from a bad lease agreement. The team owners haven’t said that they would pick up and move if the renovation package isn’t approved, but they have said that it’s the last time they want to take it to the voters, which amounts to the same thing.

I’m voting no on Tuesday, but I will vote to fund the requirements of the current lease agreement if Jackson County puts it on the ballot this fall.

Samuel Bennett
Kansas City

Promises, promises …

Vote for stadium improvements and a rolling roof, and we’ll give you a Super Bowl. Then: Vote for the improvements and roof, and we’ll give you an All-Star baseball game. Now: Vote for the improvements and roof, and we’ll give you an NCAA Final Four game. What’s next?

Maybe this vote should have been held today (April Fools Day). Voters should remember: If it sounds too good to be true, it usually is.

F.D. Jordan
Kansas City

Mentors appreciated

In the mail, the third big, four-color promo for the stadiums — this one titled “Keep the Teams” — features some personal appearances of players and all the good things money can buy for good causes. This is greatly appreciated, yet I was struck by the need for one-on-one mentors of character. (We hardly know what character is anymore.)

On the front page of The Star on March 20, two lead articles told the problem and the answer. One: A study reveals young black males falling behind all across the nation. And next to it: Tony Aguirre, mentor to three generations of Hispanic youth, is honored in his passing.

We have some good organizations and some players committed to mentoring. We need more — more players and more responsible black men spending time with young people, caring enough to set a good example, encouraging the youth to set long-range goals and hurdle the hazards on the way.

Bless those who are and may many more hear and heed the call.

Alex Colbert
Kansas City

Home-field advantage

I love the Chiefs and Royals. So I will be voting yes for the Question 1 (renovations). My dream is to take my dad to a Chiefs Super Bowl. He’s been a season ticket holder since Arrowhead Stadium opened.

Because of my dream, I will be voting no on Question 2 (the rolling roof).

Arrowhead offers the Chiefs a home-field advantage. That advantage has much to do with being an outdoor team. Our wining percentage at home in December is tremendous. A rolling roof reduces our home-field advantage. It reduces it at the most critical time, late in the regular season and in the playoffs. The roof is a loser.

Sure, attendance dips when the weather is bad, and some revenue is lost. I’d rather have the win. One of the reasons I haven’t realized my dream is because the Chiefs seem to choose money over victories.

It is more important that Kansas City be in the Super Bowl, than that the Super Bowl be in Kansas City.

Brock J. Rule
Kansas City