I’ve been involved in a lot of political activity during my life. As a reporter at The Star, I covered many candidate and issue campaigns. Since retiring in 2006, I have done volunteer work for, and contributed financially to, several candidates, including Mike Burke, Jim Glover and an old and dear friend and idol, Charlie Wheeler.
But I had never formed a campaign committee expressly to campaign for or against a particular candidate or issue.
Until yesterday.
After jumping through the required, legal hoops — registering the committee with the Secretary of State’s office and opening a bank account (Country Club Bank) — I filed a Statement of Committee Organization with the Jackson County Election Board in Independence.
The Committee to Stop a Bad Cure has money in the bank — I contributed a whopping $500 — and is raring for action.
The goal? To help defeat what I have dubbed the Civic Council Sales Tax, a proposed half-cent sales tax for translational medical research. The proposal will be on the Nov. 5 ballot; it is the only issue on the ballot throughout Jackson County.
You’re going to hear me say this over and over because it is so important: The Civic Council consists of the c.e.o.’s of the Kansas City area’s leading companies. The tax proposal amounts to the rich trying to foist on taxpayers the cost of trying to make Jackson County a leader in translational medical research…Translational research essentially amounts to converting treatment and pharmaceutical advances into business ventures.
In my opinion, private funds should pay for most or all of a speculative venture like this. But the Civic Council, apparently unable to raise funds privately, pulled an ambush: They plunked their idea for a countywide tax on the Jackson County Legislature early this months, three weeks before the deadline for putting a measure on the Nov. 5 ballot.
The Legislature, under great pressure from the bigwigs, voted 7-2 Monday to put the measure on the ballot, with precious little opportunity for public discussion and consideration of the proposal before rushing pell mell to a public vote.
***
Late yesterday afternoon, I alerted The Star and the four main local TV stations about the committee filing. Within 10 minutes, an assignment editor from KSHB-TV, the NBC affiliate, was on the line asking if a cameraman could come by my house and do an interview.
A couple of hours later, I was sitting on the patio with a camera pointed at me, and less than halfway through the 10 o’clock news, voila, I was on the air asserting that the taxpayers should not have to pay the $800 million to $1 billion ($40 million to $50 million a year for 20 years) that civic leaders think it will take to make Jackson County a leader in translational medical research.
The committee name, Committee to Stop a Bad Cure, is a counterpoint to the proponents’ committee, the Committee for Research, Treatment and Cures. As we all know, though, it’s really the committee to support the Civic Council Sales Tax.
The business community intends to spend at least $1 million on the sales tax campaign. The committee already has $100,000 in the bank. Among other things, they have already bought off all of the area’s leading professional political consultants — Pat Gray, Pat O’Neill, Steve Glorioso and Jeff Roe. These days, you have to cut all those guys in on the deal up front or you risk the chance of an opposing committee hiring them.
(Don’t worry, the Committee to Stop a Bad Cure has no intention of paying for political consulting services.)
As is always the case in campaigns, money will be hard to beat. But in this case, I think the proponents face a long, hard slog.
Coming out of the recession, with many people unemployed and underemployed, this is a terrible time to put a measure like this on the ballot. I think resistance to any proposed tax increase would be strong. But this one, with its nebulous goals and sky-high price tag, is going to be greeted with tremendous skepticism.
Every person, except one, whom I have talked with about the tax proposal has said they don’t like it…The friend I talked to who favors it, understandably, is a pediatric oncologist at Children’s Mercy Hospital…CMH is one of the three main institutions, along with St. Luke’s and UMKC, that would receive the most funds from the tax proceeds.
***
For me, it’s a day to celebrate, as well as get down to the business of running a campaign committee.
The committee will have a web site — stopabadcure.com — (it’s not up yet but I’ve registered the domain), and I plan to have yard signs and other campaign paraphernalia, such as buttons and flyers.
I’m willing to put several thousand dollars of my own money in this effort, and I’m hoping to attract contributions from others who see this like I do.
Campaign headquarters will be Fitzpatrick manor, 1209 W. 64th Terrace, KCMO, 64113. Drop by, if you’d like, or call me at (816) 668-0156.
Finally — and here’s the hard part of the preacher’s work — if you would like to contribute financially, send checks to Committee to Stop a Bad Cure, care of my address.
I guarantee you one thing: All contributions will be put to good use.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
It’s just not enough these days for a .com–facebook and twitter are major players in the politics game as well. Do it now before someone does it for you.
I have no experience in either of those realms, Jennifer…Want to help?
“One man scorned and covered with scars still strove with his last ounce of courage to reach the unreachable stars; and the world was better for this.” — Don Quixote.
I am not flailing at windmills, tax worthy; I am atop one of the blades, riding the stiff tail wind of a storm brewing against the Civic Council Sales Tax.
Nice.
Here’s hoping that you become the media darling for the opposition! Can I come over smoke big cigars and help you strategize in your back room?
I’m totally in training now, Jay…Cigars are out (I haven’t smoked one in a month) and I’m doing push-ups, chin-ups and jumping jacks. They’ll be talking for years about the fall of 2013, when the Committee to Stop a Bad Cure took on the Civic Council Sales Tax.
Let me be the first to officially welcome you to the dark side. You will now be reviled for your position against progress. You will be denounced for opposing a cure for cancer. It will be noted that your blog has become a hangout for right-wingers, tea party types and other local trouble makers. If you have any success, you may even be the subject of a Star campaign questioning everything from your motives to your lineage. As long as you don’t criticize the reporting you may even get 200 words from Miriam to respond. Many of your friends will talk about how they knew you when, and some will point out that they always suspected that you had a racist streak in you. In essence, welcome to the real world.
Yes, John, I have lived a blissful, trouble-free life, mostly in the cocoon of The Kansas City Star, where a mighty armada of lawyers had our backs (until the money ran out) and where every story had to include both sides.
Now, I’m out there on the gang plank, hoping the water’s not too deep and that If I fall, I’ll be able to make it back to the surface before my air runs out.
Fitz,
Run for office! Jim Fitzpatrick is a media darling – I have seen it – he shined so brightly – we needed protective glasses – for booze and our eyes.
Your problem is your are honest…it will not work at any level in politics. But I would to vote for you! I am never home (Kansas City/Indep.) anyway.
This is cool. And you are right. The Stover Institute (do they make chocolates too?) and Teva and others will have a bunch of cash on this. And, if the ACA gets a great start, and I type IF, it will be a boost for the tax. We are approaching 10% sales tax rates- WRONG!
You often leave me scratching my head, Larry. Are you referring to the Stowers Institute, which focuses on cancer research but does not mak chocolate? And what is the ACA?
Teva bolted to Overland Park KS when Brownback held out the bag of money for them. ACA is aka Obamacare/Affordable Care Act
Fitz,
I want a chair in your bat cave too!
Like I said above, Larry, cigars and the good life are all over; it’s down to hand-to-hand combat with these fat cats who think they can hornswoggle Jackson County taxpayers.
JimmyC,
I am proud to know you and very proud of you!! (Dont be changing this just because you are getting compliments.)
Here is what I am proud of you doing. Many US citizens have strong opinions but often can’t articulate them…and second, never do anything about them but complain or blame someone else.
This Civic Council Sales Tax issues has obviously made you upset — flight or fight were your choices! You have chosen to fight Goliath! But unlike the political and well-to-do enemy who campaign for stones…you have started the fight WITH YOUR OWN! What a concept.
Fitz, I truly hope this endeavor is your springboard into political life. You would be a great public servant.
Thanks, John…However, I have no political ambitions whatsoever…I had a nice career with The Star, and I love being retired. Writing the blog, substitute teaching, spending time with daughter Brooks (Charlie is in Tulsa) and playing golf are very satisfying to me. Wouldn’t change a thing.
This is a cause I can throw myself into for two months and then walk away, hopefully without regrets.
You won’t have regrets, perhaps a different set of friends.
Jim, you tell us that you quickly got a call from KSHB-TV in the wake of your move to form a committee to oppose this proposed tax but say nothing of The Star’s response. So did you ever hear from anyone down there at “The Castle”? Just curious.
I let Mike Hendricks and Yael know what I was doing, Rick, but I would not expect a story, even a small one, simply about the filing of a new committee. I’m sure they will work it in and report on the committee’s activities as the campaign proceeds. The filing, in and of itself, is hardly stop-the-presses material.
Hale and well met my new conservative friend!
Seriously, nice goin buddy.
:)
If you run for election I will show up.
Just sayin…
Chuck — Don’t mistake a decision to oppose a particular tax proposal as a drift toward conservatism. I will always be a card-carrying liberal. (Where did I put that?) I have opposed two or three tax proposals during my 40-plus years in Kansas City, but I have voted for the vast majority of proposals.
This one just happens to stink.
Nah…, I’m optimistic, you’re on the team!!!
Yael indicated that the League of Women Vultures will be joining you in opposition to the tax.
Thanks, John. I missed that online story, posted yesterday. The league rightly cites the regressive nature of the sales tax. Here’s the link…
http://www.kansascity.com/2013/08/28/4442875/can-medical-research-tax-deliver.html#
Count me in too
Is the Hall Family Foundation entering the race? http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/news/2013/09/04/hall-family-foundation-donates-75.html
The proposed Jackson County half cent sales tax for medical research is well intentioned, but misdirected. The most important thing local government can do for economic development is provide quality basic services, namely, public safety, public education and public works, based on reasonable taxes and user fees. Exhibit A, Johnson County KS. Local government revenues, particularly regressive sales taxes that are already too high, should be carefully marshaled, indeed reduced, and focused on basic governmental services for all citizens. If we do that, the market will respond and people will want to live, work, play, study and visit in Kansas City and Jackson County. We won’t have to use our tax dollars to pay them to come here.
Dan Cofran
Kansas City MO
Jackson County needs to pass on yet another tax increase. If this is such a great idea, let’s have the freeloaders in JoCo pay for it.