Dear Editor:
As the rhetoric on both sides of the Transform Jefferson City issue reaches fever pitch, it might be helpful to step back and look at those things upon which we can all agree.
First, the local economy is flat and has been that way for most of this century. State government was the main wellspring that generated jobs for generations but that has slowly, but surely dried up and we are left to build our economy like any other community.
Second, the Chamber of Commerce with financial backing from city and county governments has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars trying to attract new businesses to Jefferson City. Dozens of prospects have visited our community over the last decade, but for one reason or another very few have decided to move here.
Third, our population is getting older. Only a handful of our children choose to remain in Jefferson City and it is projected that a quarter of our residents will reach retirement age by 2025. Each year will bring further pressures as a shrinking workforce tries to keep up with the ever-increasing costs of public services.
Fourth, nobody wants to pay any more taxes. But the choice is really not if we want to pay more taxes. Transform Jefferson City wants to build the local economy and attract new businesses and residents to help share the costs of maintaining streets, sewers, police and fire protection. Without Transform Jefferson City we still will have those costs and we will have to bear them alone with more taxes and less in return.
Finally, we are in this together. The consequences of action or inaction will fall on all of us but, unfortunately, will fall hardest on those who are the most vulnerable. It is the young people looking for their first jobs and the longtime wage-earners looking to rebound from lay-offs that most need a jumpstart to our local economy. They need it now.
Transform Jefferson City - vote yes on Feb. 7.