Independence Gazette

Opinion, Giovanni Antonio

Independence City Council will hear a presentation which will include a recommendation to sell Independence’s most historic sites, The Bingham-Waggoner Estate and The Vaile Mansion.

“Selling” isn’t really an accurate description as the sale price recommend is a “token” price of $1. Of course this would include stipulations on what would be done with these sites. The Historical Societies that run each have already spoken out against this proposal. I would encourage any and all against this, to contact the council to let them know. Trust me it will be well received.

That said, this is just simply a recommendation. It doesn’t mean it’s happening. I don’t think anyone of us are in favor of this horrible idea. However Independence residents need to begin to realize why these things keep popping up. Why are the citizens always asked to be on the losing ends of budget cuts?

□Because there’s nothing left to cut.□

Approximately 74% of the city’s budget goes to public safety, Police/Fire. With a new contract with the fire department, this might look even heavier here soon.Then there’s city staff, retirees, and their benefits.

This leaves a small pot for ALL other city expenses. The last couple iterations of council’s, have really moved to reduce debt. This is necessary because of historically poor decisions by previous council’s. It’s no secret these huge mistakes have left the city with a drowning debt. That is the situation, we can’t undo the past.

So that leaves very few options, 3 as I see them.

●Raise taxes to make up the shortfall. As we seen with the failure of 2 of 3 GO Bonds, many Independence residents didn’t want that. This included the failure of the bonds which would have approved the funds to address the needs of The Vaile and Bingham Waggoner Estate.

●They can cut services. As we’ve seen with Adventure Oasis, the city’s bus service, the proposal to sell off these properties, and just an overall inability to invest in the infrastructure of the city. We needed a new police station. We needed a new city hall. In what I feel was a cart before the horse decision, we lost core governance functions on the Historic Independence Square due to this. None of these cuts to the taxpayer’s services are well received. Naturally.

● That leaves…. expanding the tax base and the money the city takes in. And yet here, Independence has some of the most staunch Not In My Backyard residents I’ve ever seen. I cannot remember a large development that hasn’t had at least some vocal pushback. And most notably would be development within the LBV. This site has the potential to be the most profitable for the city, and at every turn, for years now, all major developments here have been fought tooth and nail. Especially those recently.

Ironically, some of the loudest opponents of that development, are now upset about our historical sites being given away. Which brings me to my original point…. something has got to give. We have a very limited path out of the horrible financial shape the city is in. And often the same people revolt against all 3 paths. And they do so without offering a viable solution for the city to get to a healthy place.

Remaining stagnant, and screaming about it isn’t a plan. Again, the city has made strong moves to rectify the situation they inherited and the bad decisions of past council’s. They can’t be be stopped at all 3 paths and told to turn away. Certainly not without being given an additional path out of the hole.

If you want to save our historic sites, stop insisting the city remain stuck in place, and screaming about all 3 paths out, that, or offer a viable solution.