The Earnings Tax: Politicians Unprepared
[ Patrick Tuohey ]As I wrote earlier, Friday the fire fighters union held a press conference to bemoan efforts to hold a statewide vote on changing state law regarding earnings taxes. Union spokesman Sherwood Smith introduced the crowd and answers some questions (sort of). Former mayor Kay Barnes spoke, as did Councilmembers Deb Herman, Jan Marcason, Cindy Circo and Russ Johnson (who came dressed for casual Friday).
Their individual statements were unimpressive. Kay Barnes either did not know who she was maligning or thought St. Louis was not in Missouri. Jan Marcason suggested that the city would have to cut services or raise taxes (though she refused to indicate that is how she would vote). It was the question and answer period (video below) is where the action happened.
Kansas City should be very proud of reporters Micheal Mahoney and Dave Helling and equally embarrassed that out City Council was so ill-informed on the issue they wanted to address. They were unable and--even resentful--of having to answer questions and yet nevertheless wanted to keep the people of Kansas City from registering their own votes on the matter.
The camera is shaky. It was cold out there.
These two video are the Q&A, and I think every voter in Kansas City should watch them both. The questioners are KMBC's Micheal Mahoney and the Star's Dave Helling.
This is where I ask some questions. Mahoney suggests in his piece that I made the event testy, but I suggest that the City Council was already annoyed by the time I asked anything.
2/13/2010 8:37:58 AM
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