Shawnee Dispatch

To the editor:

Once again the city of Shawnee is considering raising the city’s mill levy, to build a new community center.

This is after raising the mill levy last year for storm sewers.

A recent article expressed concern by council members that the populace wanted a new community center.

Perhaps this is as stated; however, in my conversations with local residents this has never once come up as a topic over the last several years.

Would I like a new community center? The answer would be in the positive if it was similar to Lenexa’s (recreation) center.

My objection is to once again tax the people of Shawnee.

Due to the increased value of homes in Johnson County, assessments are increasing, (which is) another hit in the pocketbook to the residents of Shawnee.

The city council needs to be creative in financing this project.

At the time of the meetings over increasing the mill levy for storm sewers, there was an article on the national print news about a city that financed their storm sewer infrastructures with a tax on plastic bags.

This not only served to pay for infrastructure upgrades but was a solution to an environmental problem.

Could this or other methods work conceivably so?

City council, use your imagination.

Its easy to take the effortless road to solve a problem, but (it takes) guts and ingenuity to solve problems in an effortful manner.

Please remember there are many families east of I-435 (who are) retired or of moderate incomes that cannot keep absorbing increased taxes.

John R. Arnold

Shawnee resident