There is no reason to have such a forum and Hermann knows this. Nixon has yet to take a public stance on Prop A which would phase out the E-Tax over 10 years and we agree with his position of neutrality to date. We will explain below.
Blue Chip Tip: We have received a lot of information from tipsters in the lead up to this letter. It appears Deb Hermann received a lot of pressure from her Republican support in the Northland over redistricting and the potential impact it could have on their power on the city council. Specifically, the fear is PIAC and TIF money would move south. Also the phase out of the E-Tax would force Kansas City to develop the urban core to compensate any loss of tax revenue.
To sum it up, she wrote this letter to catch the Governor in a hotbox on the E-Tax issue to appease those Republican supporters upset with her!!!
Playing politics with the Earnings Tax does not solve the very serious concerns facing Kansas City. The truth is, Deb knows this is not Governor Nixon's fight and for her to pull him into this street brawl is the best way for pressure to come off her as chair of the Finance Committee.
If Hermann is so concerned about Prop A passing and its impact on Kansas City then she needs to answer the following questions:
- Why has she not focused on fundraising to combat Prop A instead of fundraising for her own campaign?
- Most importantly, why has she not personally sent public letters demanding action to the Republican elected officials in the KC Metro area which have received tens of thousands from Rex?
Specifically Rep. Ryan Silvey (Northland), Rep. Jerry Nolte (Northland), Rep. Bob Nance (Northland) and Sen. Luann Ridgeway (Nothland).
(Blue Note: When looking at their MEC reports look for any committee with Jefferson City PO Box 1901 and the St. Louis PO Box 23200)
Deb Hermann's attempt at a trojan horse on Gov. Nixon, while failing to publicly challenge Republican leaders IN HER OWN COUNCIL DISTRICT, should be a red flag to every Democrat supporter in the Northland!! Look for her to have serious campaign problems. Her D.C. consultants just drove her campaign into road spikes!
Because of this we at The KC Blue Blog are calling on Deb Hermann to publicly answer these questions or this move will be seen for what it is.
Deb may be a very capable person at the City Council level in chairing the Finance Committee.
ReplyDeleteBut her political sagacity leaves much to be desired. Publicly poking the Governor in the eye over an issue brought about by her Republican friends and former party-mates shows she lacks judgment and wisdom. She puts herself square between the sitting Governor and the present statehouse representatives from the Northland. Either way, how do you think that will play in Jeff City should she be elected Mayor?
KC already has a Mayor who was elected on the promise of “standing up” to the insiders and political powers that be. Look at the shit hole that put us in.
Deb is nice and all, but she is not ready to tussle with the big boys. Pandering to the petty parochial Northland interests - Dumb move, Deb.