Dear Editor:
If you are not outraged, it is only because you do not know what is happening. Proposition L was defeated with a 58 percent "no" vote. That is a good thing. The pitch from the Chamber of Commerce was "level the playing field." That meant adding a tax on purchases made over the internet so it would increase the likelihood that people would purchase at Capital Mall. Proponents talked about their buddies, but never named one business that would benefit from "leveling the playing field." The mall is losing sales as shown by sales tax collections, but still receive $700,000 per year from the sales tax collected. They do not pay property tax either.
That is not the whole story. The Chamber receives about $350,000 from the city and county for "economic development." In other words, your tax money is going to the Chamber so they can benefit their members using tax money to campaign to increase sales taxes.
This follows a pattern started with the Transformation Tax and zoning in Cole County. The only objective of the Chamber is to take advantage of citizens to put more money in their pockets. When the City Council gets an opportunity, they increase sales taxes to benefit businesses. The most recent time was the St. Mary's TIF. Neither the TIF Commission nor the City Council gave any justification. They just remained silent.
The use tax vote demonstrates that citizens do not want to pay money to the Chamber and their members, most notably the Farmer Brothers who own St. Mary's and Capital Mall. Voters see through the vague appeals of the Chamber of Commerce. The Chamber even tried to conceal that they organized and funded the Use Tax campaign. How appalling. It was humorous when the president of the Chamber was quoted in the NT as saying the Chamber "endorsed" Proposition L. They instigated and had one of their members introduce the use tax.
The next attempt to take advantage of us is the riverport tax. The Chamber is out of step and out of touch with citizens of Jefferson City, they will barge ahead because they believe spending enough money, probably $100,000, on a campaign will produce profits for their low members.
Thanks to the letter writers who alerted readers to objections to Proposition L. We need more participation in elections.