The Royals need more than a winning streak to convince KC on a new stadium downtown | Opinion
By the numbers
If anyone’s wondering how other MLB teams’ rebuilding processes compare with the Royals, here’s something to look at. In 2021, the Baltimore Orioles were 52-110, the Texas Rangers were 60-102 and the Royals were 74-88. In 2023 as of Aug. 8, the Orioles are 70-42 and in first place in the American League East with the best record in the league. The Rangers are 67-46 and in first place in the American League West. The Royals, even with their recent seven-game winning streak, are 36-78, and if it weren’t for the Oakland A’s would be the worst team in baseball by eight games.
So based on that, it’s obvious to everyone that what the Royals really need is a new stadium.
- Tom Meek, Lee’s Summit
Lower the levy
Jackson County Executive Frank White claimed that the exorbitant property tax assessments are “about redistributing the tax burden so that people pay only their fair share.” This argument fails.
Taxes aren’t being redistributed — they’re being dramatically increased while inflation is high, interest rates have doubled and home prices have fallen. Saddling homeowners with tax increases that often exceed 100% isn’t exactly my definition of “fair.”
People will lose their homes over this. Landlords will increase rents to cover expenses, putting added pressure on tenants. And many homeowners will choose to sell and relocate to another county, leading to blight here.
But is it even important to bring tax assessments in line with market values? The answer is clearly no. Taxes are to provide the government with sufficient funds to offer its citizens the services they need. Bringing tax assessments to market is an arbitrary goal.
And if it really were so important, why not lower the tax levy to ameliorate the increase? According to tax-rates.org, Jackson County has one of the country’s highest levies. And there seems to be no effort from the county executive to advocate to reduce that levy, which speaks volumes.
- Andrew Syrios, Kansas City
Got too big
I would like to express my concerns about Yellow Corp. trucking company shutting down. (Aug. 1, 1A, “Yellow trucking, with Johnson County operation, is closing”) I disagree with the Yellow leadership team blaming the Teamsters for filing for bankruptcy. It sounds like these leaders don’t realize Yellow had so much debt from the early 2000s, when it acquired Roadway Express, USF, Holland, New Penn and Reimer.
Yellow should have never acquired Roadway Express and other trucking companies, and this is why the shipper went bankrupt. Yellow Corp. should have left those businesses alone.
- James Sullivan, Walden, New York
What about I?
While I was raising my three children, they were involved in many teams — sports, dance, school organizations and more. One wise adage I heard used by their coaches and sponsors was, “There is no ‘I’ in ‘team.’” After reading Sen. Eric Schmitt’s guest column, “NDAA is a win for Missouri. Here’s what I fought for” (Aug. 7, 7A) I question if he was ever on a team, or if he was, if he listened to his coaches.
His promotion of his role in the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act uses the word “I” nine times. He touts that he “fought to include multiple amendments that will claw back the focus on divisive diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives in our military.” According to Schmitt, these amendments will provide much-needed transparency on woke nonsense in our armed forces.
Such nonsense. So easily said by the white man.
- Melinda Smith, Kansas City
Call me what?
I am intolerant of intolerance. I am critical of criticism. I am prejudiced against prejudice.
Darn — all this time I thought I was a lily-livered, woke liberal.
- Brian Angevine, Lawrence
