KC Labor Party Looks At Two Sales Tax Proposals
Supports Question 1 For Fire Station Renovation; No endorsement on Light Rail Question 2
An Unfair Tax
The burden of sales tax falls hardest on working people. Unlike the rich, we spend the lion's share of our income on goods and services subject to sales tax. For “middle class” wage earners every increase in sales tax diverts a little more money from our all too meager savings for things like retirement, or our kids' college education. For the working poor, and those depending on monthly Social Security, Veteran's, disability or welfare checks, sales tax hikes can force tough decisions about basics such as food, rent, and clothing.
The Labor Party would like to see sales tax eliminated, replaced with fairer forms of taxation on wealth. But the trend has been just the opposite. New ¼ and ½ cent increments keep piling on. Soaking the working class at the cash register is one of the few accepted ways to raise money not only for new projects but even to maintain present government services.
As much as we would like to, it would be irresponsible for us to oppose all sales tax proposals. Some things can't wait until we've built a political movement that can take power and restructure taxes. We're forced by the bosses' politicians to make some painful choices about whether or not to shoulder more than our fair share of the costs for public services. We'll take a look at two such proposals that will be on the ballot in Kansas City August 7.
But these brave men and women didn't agree to spend their time waiting for danger to call in firehouse conditions that are also unsafe and unhealthy. If the city had to operate under the same laws that govern the private sector most of our fire stations would be shut down tomorrow by OSHA or city codes inspectors. This is a disgrace.
To deal with this urgent problem we set aside our general opposition to sales tax increases and support the proposal for a ¼ cent sales tax increase to finance renovation of our dilapidated fire stations and the construction of needed new ones. In the long run we need to fight to include public sector workers under OSHA and other health and safety regulations protecting the rest of the working class.
The Kansas City Area Labor Party has always been an active advocate for expanded transit. We’ve organized community meetings about the transit crisis on both sides of the state line; mobilized public opposition to past service cuts; and presented position papers on transit issues. We agree with our allies in the labor and environmental movements that light rail could be an important component of a needed transit revival in the Kansas City area.
However, we have too many reservations about Question 2 to make another exception to our sales tax policy. These include:
Matching Funds. The sales tax is not contingent upon Federal approval of matching funds needed to build light rail. If Washington rejects the plan now being sold to voters the ½ cent tax would still be collected for twenty-five years. The money would be spent studying and preparing for future, and possibly quite different, light rail projects without need for any further voter consultation.
Routing. We believe that turning to expensive new light rail, as opposed to expanding bus service, can only be justified if it will attract substantial numbers of new riders. The north section of the so-called “community” plan seems to have some potential for luring commuters out of their cars. But the south section duplicates bus service on well-established Metro lines. The Downtown-Plaza component is what former Mayor Cleaver once aptly labeled “touristy froo-froo.” The Troost segment, reportedly made as a sop to Cleaver and East Side politicians, stops at 55th Street—too far north to be of much value. This plan does not make good transit sense. It is the product of political horse trading, not genuine
community input.
Transit Labor. Most supporters of Question 2—including the leadership of ATU Local 1287—assume that, since the ATA will be getting the light rail funding, the work will be done by the unionized Metro. But there is no actual agreement in place for this to happen. And, given the ATA’s history of trying to contract out work to private, multinational companies paying substandard wages, we are not so trusting of them to do the right thing.
We of course do not share the criticisms of the most vocal opponents of light rail, such as the Chambers of Commerce, and Star columnist Jerry Heaster. They are champions of Urban Sprawl, based on car dependency. They see transit as sort of a charity that should be supported as needed to transport senior citizens and to get the working poor to their jobs.
We continue to advance transit as a vital public service that needs to be widely utilized to tackle the big challenges of air pollution, conserving fossil fuels, easing time-wasting traffic congestion—and not least of all, saving lives and reducing injuries and property damage in traffic accidents.
Such transit improvements will require public financing. Sales tax is the least fair way of obtaining funds. This, along with our other serious reservations about the “community” plan prevent us from endorsing Question 2.
Kansas City Area Labor Party
PO Box 30127 Plaza Station
Kansas City, MO 64112
telephone: 816-753-1672 e-mail: kcalp@kclabor.org
web page: www.kclabor.org/kclaborparty.htm