Every week, whether you agree with him or not, a lot of you read the opinions of one balding, overweight, grandfather with, he hopes, average intelligence, who calls himself “The Ole Seagull.” This week should be no different and, for what it matters, here’s the short and quick of his take on the Apr. 3 election.
As to the tax issues, he unequivocally supports a “Yes” vote for the $.45 increase in the operating tax levy for the Branson School District and a “Yes” vote to extend the half of one percent Taney County Road and Bridge Tax. As to the city of Branson’s mayoral and aldermanic races he supports Raeanne Presley for mayor over incumbent mayor Lou Schaefer, Sandra Williams for Alderman over incumbent Ron Huff in Ward II, and sincerely believes that the voters in Branson’s Ward I are very blessed because, whoever they vote for, Eric Farris or Bob McDowell, they will have someone who will make independent decisions and will work towards making city government more open and responsive.
He supports a “Yes” vote for the increased operating tax levy for the Branson School District because the vast majority of the increased operating revenue is to be used for the costs of putting the teachers and programs inside the new buildings that the district has built, and is building, to meet its greatly increased and expanding enrollment. The bulk of the increase is going to pay salaries for teachers, the singular most important aspect of our children’s educations. Even with the increase, less than $86.00 per year on a house assessed at $100,000, the taxpayers of the Branson School District will be paying less than the majority of the surrounding school districts. Isn’t a quality education for our children and grandchildren worth the slight increase?
He supports a “Yes” vote for the extension of the current half of one percent Taney County Road and Bridge Tax because it is but an extension of an existing tax that is paid, in the majority, by tourists to our area. It is not a new tax and has served all who drive on Taney County’s roads well. This tax has helped with projects such as the Hollister Highway 65 project, where a small investment of funds by Hollister and Taney County resulted in over 100 million dollars of benefit to our area.
He supports Raeanne Presley over the incumbent mayor Lou Schaefer because of her policy on growth, her proven credentials to lead Branson into the future, her willingness to address an “attitude at city hall that boarders on arrogance” and her pledge that if elected that attitude “will not stand.” Her policy on growth is two phased, logical, and simple.
She supports the type of entrepreneurial growth where people invest their own money and assume the risk of developing what ever they want to develop instead of the taxpayer, i.e. Branson’s Titanic Museum, the new Site and Sound Attraction, Celebration City, The Chateau on the Lake, the Roy Rogers Attraction, the new Butterfly Palace, the redevelopment of the Music Centre City complex, the Grand Palace, etc. She does suggest “a pause” in the type of growth that is artificially created by government through the use of TIFs and other extensive taxpayer financing while its impact on available housing, schools, other taxing entities, etc. is assessed. As an example, the increased operating tax levy for the Branson School District that is being voted on is caused, at least in part, because of this type of growth and the city of Branson’s arbitrary use of TIF financing.
It is a continuation of that theme that leads him to support Sandra Williams over incumbent Ron Huff for alderman of Ward 2. It was really interesting to hear Huff and incumbent mayor Lou Schaefer indicate that the leadership in city hall has no confidence or trust problems relating to the businesses and citizens of Branson. This in spite of the fact that it was a problem that every other candidate running for office indicated had to be addressed. Bob McDowell summed it up best when he said that the leadership of city government had to earn back “the benefit of the doubt position” from the community.
Whatever ones position is on these issues and the candidates an Ole Seagull would urge them to get out and vote on April 3. Aren’t the future education of the areas children and the future of Branson worth the effort it takes to vote? An Ole Seagull thinks so.
