Your Opinion: Additional tax will create hardships

Dear Editor:

Mr. Beal's letter to the editor published on Jan. 12 had some excellent points:

Like Beal, I wonder how a group of non-elected officials can decide to propose a tax increase on the community and then decide when it will be put on the ballot. Who are these people? We are told of all the revenue this will create, but who is paying the bill? Obviously the money is coming out of the pockets of the people who live in and around Jefferson City.

I have lived here for 20 years and heard about a convention center since I first arrived. We still do not have a convention center and apparently are not close to getting one. Actually that is a good thing. Who would come here for a convention? There are not enough restaurants and hotels in a central location to accommodate convention visitors. Also convention attendees want entertainment, what does this town offer in that area?

If the renovation of the old prison is such a money maker, why don't you turn it over to private industry and enjoy the taxes they would pay on their business?

A trolley car you have to be kidding. Who is going to ride this and where is it going to take them? Has anyone calculated the cost of owning and operating this system?

If this proposal passes it will bring hardship on our senior citizens. Do you realize some people are on fixed income and can't afford three dollar a gallon gasoline, increased cost on groceries, and other goods and services? You want to take money out of their pockets to develop a snake invested, flooded island in the middle of the Missouri River.

Did anyone stop to think what this tax will do to the businesses in this town? People can't spend money they don't have.

I, for one, will take my shopping elsewhere. I will not help pay for the foolish things the Transformation Committee wants to impose on the good citizens of Jefferson City and Cole County.

Vote no on this proposal Feb. 7.