JimmyCsays: At the juncture of journalism and daily life in KC

Election Day is more than eight weeks away, and yet it feels like discussion over the proposed a half-cent sales tax to benefit “translational” medical research has already hit warp speed.

Today, on my blog site, former City Councilman Dan Cofran, who represented the Fourth District for eight years, came out loud and clear against the proposal.

Here’s what he wrote:

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.

(You will find that comment at the bottom of this highlighted post.)

All I can say is, thank you, Dan.

Former City Councilman Dan Cofran

I say that not only because it provides a general boost to the opposition — including my committee, the League of Women Voters and the Springfield personal-injury lawyer — but also because a very credible political figure has now affirmed what many people have been thinking since the tax notion was dropped on the public Aug. 8 — that it’s a bad idea.

In his days on the council, Cofran always stood up for what he believed in. He cow-towed to no one and, as a result, he frequently was on the losing side of issues where money and influence had coalesced. To the issue at hand, Cofran brings an objective, independent voice.

He ran for mayor in 1995 and lost to then-Mayor Emanuel Cleaver in Cleaver’s successful re-election bid. At that point, almost all the organized support had gone to Cleaver, and the outcome wasn’t close. Nevertheless, Cofran ran a very creditable campaign and often held Cleaver’s feet to the fire.

Two years ago, Cofran was the leading spokesperson for the campaign to retain the Kansas City earnings tax. If you’ll recall political reactionary Rex Sinquefield of the St. Louis area had thrown a ton of money into his attempt to roll back the e-tax, which is the city’s largest revenue source. Fortunately, voters overwhelmingly rejected the Sinquefield proposal. (I was also a spokesperson for the campaign to retain the sales tax.) 

Glad to have you on board, Dan!

…Oh, and about that other development:

At 11:30 a.m. tomorrow, I’ll be holding a news conference on the north steps of the downtown courthouse, 415 E. 12th Street, KCMO.

I will be laying out a proposed alternative to the Civic Council Sales Tax.

If you want to see me in my black hat, come on down!