Looks like I’m going to have quite a bit of company in opposing the proposed half-cent sales tax for medical research.
The Star’s Yael Abouhalkah reported yesterday that The League of Women Voters in Kansas City/Jackson/Clay/Platte counties will oppose the tax.
Abouhalkah wrote:
In an interview, president Linda Vogel Smith said the league primarily opposed using a regressive sales tax to pay for the research. She said the league thought the medical groups could get money from other sources, and public revenue should be used for “local infrastructure needs.”
That’s a heck of a blow to the tax’s prospects for passage.
The Civic Council, with its rush-job tactics and speculative foray, has run afoul of the most important women’s group in the area.
Already, by my unofficial reckoning, we’ve got about 50 percent of the electorate — women –against the measure.
I guess the Civic Council will be calling on all manly men to stand up for translational medical research to the tune of $40 million to $50 million a year for 20 years.
(Sorry, I don’t have time to explain what translational medical research is; I’ll leave that up to the proponents.)
Guys tend to like big numbers, and we’ll just have to see if they respond well to the prospect of spending $1 billion on a shaky proposition over the next 20 years.
Another bad omen, also laid out in Abhoulkah’s story, was that the chairman of the Kansas City Regional Transit Alliance questioned moving ahead with the medical research tax while Jackson County’s commuter rail idea is still pending.
Kite Singleton, a well-known, retired architect, said his group did not specifically oppose the sales-tax proposal, but he stated, “This is not a time to redirect our community’s focus to another interest,” the alliance release said.
Until earlier this year, Jackson county Executive Mike Sanders had been pushing for a sales-tax proposal to build a commuter rail system. For some reason, he dropped that and now has jumped on the Civic Council bandwagon.
He probably reckons that his prospects of attaining higher office are better if he plays ball with the Civic Council and the Chamber of Commerce of Greater Kansas city, which also has endorsed the medical-research tax.
As most of you know, I registered an opposing committee, Committee to Stop a Bad Cure, on Tuesday.
Another registered opposition group (the first to file, actually) is called Citizens for Responsible Research. It is led by a personal-injury lawyer named Brad Bradshaw, who has several offices around the state. The Star has said he is based in Springfield. Bradshaw, who is also a physician, has contributed $50,000 to his campaign committee, Dave Helling reported today on The Star’s web site.
Bradshaw favors some sort of statewide tax to support medical research, and the Civic Council Sales Tax could upset his apple cart.
As of today, the Civic Council’s bandwagon seems to be losing riders, while organized opposition is mushrooming.
Now, if we can just get the Marching Cobras on our side, we’ll have a loud and energetic run-up to the election.
JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC 
I think I’m beginning to hear a little Carole King in the background: “I feel the earth move under my feet …” Well done, Jim!
One of the great ones from the 70s — the singer and the song.
Fitz,
This should be a privately-funded initiative. The translational research is things they could see in past research, and only see. Now they can determine what the specific part of the body is doing, but also translate details. I could be wrong. But this is what a triage surgeon described. I think I understood the explanation.
Also why not use the National Football League with their billions to help. They just settled a $765 million class action suit on head injuries. It would be worth it to them in positive publicity.
I do not trust any attorney that advertises on television.
I think parts of your comment need translating, Larry. No offense.
As for Brad Bradshaw, I understand he is paying for TV ads against the sales tax — which is great. I don’t know if he has used TV to advertise his law practice.
Yes I have. And as for Jimmy C, I am not concerned about my applecart. I would like to really find cures for cancer, and other diseases, I am for that. I am opposed to rich people ripping off the working poor and middle-class.
Another thing in your favor is that the transportation deal probably has more opportunities to steal from for a wider array of thieves than this project.
Now we have a blatent attempt by the powers that be to bribe the electorate into voting yes; The Hall Family Foundation announced Wednesday that it would donate $75 million to Children’s Mercy Hospitals and Clinics — but it’s contingent on passing the proposed half-cent sales tax in Jackson County.
I hope that tactic backfires. It’s a crappy thing to do—either give them the money or don’t, but don’t try to control everyone’s votes.