Sunday March 05, 2006

Don't Let Congress Dodge the Draft Issue!

Think Globally, Act Locally

Sunday February 26, 2006

Media Coverage for City Council Race

These are all from the Examiner, beginning with the most recent. (I am having problems retrieving archives from the Star) I apologize for my ignorance. If you want to see the whole articles, you will have to cut and paste. I have no clue how to make them hyperlinks.

http://examiner.net/stories/020806/new_020806007.shtml
Wendy Terry eliminated from council race
Voters in the primaries Tuesday night selected four candidates to run for two at-large seats on the Independence City council, leaving Wendy Terry off the ballot for the general election.
[snip]
Terry narrowly missed the ballot, receiving 2,182 votes (10.84 percent), only 489 votes shy of grabbing the last available spot.
Terry said she has only begun building a growing coalition of freedom fighters in Independence.
“I hope that those who voted for me will vote for Lucy Young and Wayne Baker in April,“ Terry said. “Breaking the voting block is the first step in taking back our government from those who would use our own tax money to our detriment.“

http://examiner.net/stories/020206/new_0202060021.shtml
Candidates make pitch for votes
Question: What issues of major concern would you like to address as City Council member?
Wendy Terry: Ignoring private property rights has become customary in Independence. As a council member, I will not look for loopholes around Article I, section 28, of the Missouri Constitution, which prohibits the taking of property for private uses. I will revere the rights of property owners, special privileges for none. I will also be vigilant concerning abuses of the city code. The purpose of the code is to protect residents, not to control us. Selective enforcement of codes and using codes for warrantless searches must end. Poorly worded codes must be revised, and codes should not be enacted for personal vendettas.

Question: What would make you a more effective council member than your opponents?
Wendy Terry: I am the only council candidate beholden to no special interests through campaign contributions. My goal is a city so efficient, most residents forget city government exists. There‘s no perfect system, but ours is so poor that many residents have quit complaining. While canvassing the city, I have found many residents with complaints; few are satisfied. Lawsuits against Independence accumulate. The last 12 years has brought Independence higher taxes in every category the manager and council could find. Still services decline. I will do what the incumbents have proven they cannot: tighten the budget and improve services.

http://examiner.net/stories/020106/new_020106010.shtml
Candidates speak out on western part of town
Question: What steps should be taken to revitalize western Independence? Where do you stand on the effort to bring western Independence out of the Kansas City School District and into the Independence district?
Wendy Terry: Western Independence residents recognize a need for revitalization. Families resist living in the Kansas City district, but incompetent schools aren‘t the cause of closed factories. Blue Ridge Mall closed despite its location in the Raytown district. Moving the boundary is sensible; a charter school, a better solution for many families, would be less complicated to execute. Terminating government manipulation of the economy will facilitate growth. Western businesses suffer from advantages given to TIF developments in the southeast. Rampant TIF projects have become a detriment. Local businesses suffer when new competitors have government-imposed advantages, especially when national chains receive them.

Question: Should Independence adopt a smoke-free city ordinance? Why or why not?
Wendy Terry: Employees and employers should decide smoking rules, just as they agree on lunch breaks, duties, pay, and benefits. The property owner or proprietor reserves the right to establish policies. Consumers choose how to spend their money. Smokers won‘t dine in a non-smoking restaurant, and non-smokers will flock to businesses with an established non-smoking policy. Proprietors satisfy customers or the business suffers. Most Independence businesses are already smoke-free, without an ordinance. Proprietors and consumers can find the right balance without government interference in the market. The ultimate goal is limited government authority and maximum individual freedom of choice.

http://examiner.net/stories/013106/new_013106010.shtml
Question: What, in your judgment, is the city‘s biggest mistake of the past decade?
Wendy Terry: The city has had a series of mistakes based on the general attitude that private development should be publicly funded. City manager (Robert) Heacock‘s veneration for the city‘s “economic tools“ brings two tools to my mind: the hammer and the sickle. Businesses use economic tools, not governments. Government-controlled markets lead to poverty, not prosperity. The more an economy is controlled by the force of government, the less competition there is in the market. Without market forces of supply and demand driving competition, service and quality suffer. Public/private business partnerships lead down the slippery slope to unethical and ineffective government.

Question: From this point on, what should the city‘s role be in the development of the Little Blue River Valley? What future role do you see for tax increment financing in the valley?
Wendy Terry: The city has too much control in our economic lives. In the Little Blue River Valley, they have already abused eminent domain, condemning private property, even when it is not strictly for public use. The city‘s role has been thievery and creative accounting. TIF has been successful for urban blight, but undeveloped land with grass, trees, and water, is not blight. Excessive retail and restaurants don‘t cause prosperity or increase tax revenues. Our expendable income doesn‘t increase just because a new store opens. We only spend more when our income increases. Market forces should drive new development, not government force.

http://examiner.net/stories/013006/new_013006007.shtml
Council candidates address issues

This week, The Examiner is publishing questions and answers from candidates in the Independence City Council at-large races. On Feb. 7, voters will narrow the field of five mayoral candidates to two and eliminate one of the five City Council candidates. On April 4, voters will choose from among the remaining two mayoral and four council candates.
[snip]
Wendy Terry
Employment: The Salvajor Company
Education: Raytown High School; Central Missouri State University; Southwest Missouri State University
Family: Husband, two kids, ages 6 and 8
Public service: 12 years of political activism
Major supporters: Independent Voters Association of Independence, Jackson County Libertarians, and local small business owners: Onrops Ammo and Guns (11106 E. Winner Rd), Hot of the Press (10808 E 23rd), Da Pizza Place (9930 E Truman Road)

http://examiner.net/stories/013006/new_013006011.shtml
Council candidates look ahead for the city

Today‘s Question: In your judgment, what will be the city‘s biggest challenge over the next decade?
Wendy Terry: Services have continually declined from loose budget controls and ineffective leadership, not from a lack of general revenue. Expanding the tax base is the current primary objective when controlling expenditures should be the principal concern. The city is too dependent on federal tax dollars, as well as loans on anticipated future revenue. Careful scrutiny and planning, in conjunction with effective depar! tmental management can reduce the budget, eliminating the need for future tax increases. My accounting background will an asset to Independence taxpayers in this regard. Over the next decade, tightening spending while improving city services will be the biggest challenge.

http://examiner.net/stories/012606/new_012606007.shtml
Council candidates reveal differences
(this was funny because I was the only candidate that was “different“ from the rest. =)

The Independence at-large City Council candidates disagreed about a few issues, which helped some people in the audience at the candidate‘s public forum Wednesday.
Voters go to the polls Feb. 7 for a primary election. Four of the five candidates will advance to the April 4 general election.
Wendy Terry opposed future sales taxes for street and park improvements. She advocates being more frugal.
“There are a lot of things in the budget we could cut first,“ she said.
Incumbent Jason White disagreed, saying the city‘s $60 million budget is not enough to provide enough services now.
“To think you can squeeze more out of the budget isn‘t doing your homework,” he said.
The other three candidates Wayne Baker, incumbent Jim Schultz and Lucy Young support having the tax. Baker said the citizens oversight committee needs to be part of it. Young said the tax is a good idea, but any changes, however small, need to be made public.
Pamela Smith is uncertain which of the candidates she favors. She supports taxes she considers good for the city.
“To me, tax is not a bad word,“ she said. “Tax is something we need for a healthy, safe city.“
City services are not the high quality of what they once were, Smith said.
Tom Scott said he has been following the election closely but still did not know who to vote for yet.
“Lucy Young said a lot of things I like,“ he said.
Eminent domain, the process of the government acquiring private property, is one of them.
Young said eminent domain should be used selectively and wisely. She said she opposed using it for the project south of 23rd Street on the west side of Noland Road.
Terry considers eminent domain to be a redistribution of wealth.
Baker said he will not vote in favor of any eminent domain proposals.
White said eminent domain is not as controversial as some might think.
Schultz said a legal process exists to ensure property owners get a fair price for the land, building or both.
The issue of eminent domain is important to Bob Lightner. He listened to the candidates‘ answers closely.
“I thought Wendy Terry was a fireplug,“ he said. “She got right to the point.“

http://examiner.net/stories/112305/new_112305008.shtml
Filing closes today
Many familiar people want on Independence city ballots

Anyone wanting to run for the mayor or at-large City Council positions in Independence has until 5 p.m. today to file.
So far, two people have brought in their packets to the City Clerk‘s office on the third floor of City Hall, 111 E. Maple Ave., with the minimum number of 250 signatures for people supporting their candidacy to run for mayor.
They are Lois McDonald and Bill Wagner. Wagner withdrew from running for City Council this week and decided to run for mayor instead.
Those running for the two City Council positions are Wayne Baker, Wendy Dye, John Hedden, former Council Member Charlie Rich, incumbent Jim Schultz, Wendy Terry, Eric Wells, incumbent Jason White and former Council Member Lucy Young.
The primary election is set for Feb. 7. The general election is set for April 4.
Those running for the two City Council positions are Wayne Baker, Wendy Dye, John Hedden, former Council Member Charlie Rich, incumbent Jim Schultz, Wendy Terry, Eric Wells, incumbent Jason White and former Council Member Lucy Young.

http://examiner.net/stories/103105/new_103105005.shtml
City filing opens
Reimal first in line in the mayoral race

The first six candidates for Independence city elections put on their campaign masks this morning. An overcast and breezy Halloween marked the first official day of filing for the April 4 city elections, which will likely be shaped by a February primary.
On the line are the mayor‘s seat and two at-large City Council positions.
First in line meant first on the ballot in each race. Filing continues through Nov. 23.
Council Member Don Reimal, first in line for the mayor‘s race, got to City Hall on Saturday after the Halloween parade.
“I did it to show I‘m truly serious about being a candidate for mayor,“ said Reimal, 64, an 11-year veteran of the council. He said he will run on a two-part platform.
“The west and central parts of Independence need to be revitalized,“ he said. “And we want to keep the businesses coming to the eastern side.“
Joining Reimal in the mayor‘s race is Walter French, who ran for the council in 2002. He says planning is his focus.
“I want to have good, solid city planning,“ he said. “I want to have more comprehensive comprehensive planning. I want to accelerate redevelopment of the older parts of the city and concentrate on infrastructure.“
French said he wants to form better partnerships with businesses, churches and school districts.
Absent the first morning of filing was Mayor Ron Stewart, who has said all along he will not seek another term.
In the council member races, the current at-large council members, Jim Schultz and Jason White, are first and second on the ballot. Both were elected in 2002.
“I don‘t know if being first will get me more votes or not,“ Schultz said, “but it shows my campaign staff and the voters that I‘m serious.“
Schultz, 52, is campaigning to sustain neighborhoods.
“That will be my focus,“ he said, “along with quality of life for Independence citizens.“
White, 47, says the city is headed in the right direction.
“I want to see balanced development,“ he said. “Right now the redevelopment of the older parts of town has a high priority.“
White said Independence is one-quarter the size of Kansas City, working with one-tenth the budget.
“I also believe in balancing fairness to city employees with keeping a lid on expenditures,“ he said.
After White on the council-member list of hopefuls is Wendy Terry, 30, who was represented this morning by her husband, Greg. They live in west-central Independence.
“She feels there is an abuse of TIF (tax increment financing) and eminent domain,“ Greg Terry said. “She feels the citizens of Independence don‘t have a voice.“
Bill Wagner Sr. made his intentions clear today, deciding to run for council instead of mayor.
“This is going to be an interesting campaign for six months,“ he said.
Wagner, 75, has a number of campaign issues, including saving Independence Regional Health Center and Medical Center of Independence, which are being consolidated into a new hospital campus on 39th Street.
“If we must, we should take them by eminent domain for the good of the people,“ he said.
Wagner said he hopes to win the Constitution back for citizens.
“The people‘s voices aren‘t being heard,” he said. Wagner hopes to instate longer time limits for speakers at council meetings.
The council race, with four candidates, is shaping up for a primary election Feb. 7.
The mayor‘s race, currently with two candidates, is still up in the air for the primary.
Candidates who collect the required 200 signatures and meet the filing deadline of Nov. 23 will be placed on the ballot in the order they file. The Jackson County Election Board has the task of certifying the collected signatures to make sure they are registered voters.

http://examiner.net/stories/100505/new_100505011.shtml
Independence city elections taking shape

[snip]
Current Council Members Jason White and Jim Schultz are on the list to run again for council positions, and they have challengers. In addition to Rich, Wagner and Dye, the list of people picking up packets to run includes Wendy Terry, Wayne Baker and former Council Member Lucy Young.