Urban Legend(s)

Previous post (A Vast Wasteland) generated a number of comments, including the belief KC MO and Gladstone among others have similar clean up (or better) opportunities compared to WL. Fact Checker finds:

• KC MO does a yard waste pickup twice a year, limit 20 bags, no grass, large limbs (3" or less) must be bundled.
• KC MO operates their own yard waste sites with per bag charge over 5 bags.
• Gladstone has two clean up weekends.
• Gladstone operates their own yard waste site with a per bag charge for residents and commercial providers.

Know this...Both KC and Gladstone have sales tax and commercial interests that generate revenue beyond property tax. Additionally, KC MO has a 1% earnings tax (you are painfully aware if you have lived there or work is located there).

One last item, you probably recall KCMO faced a $70 million budget shortfall, causing layoffs and cutbacks, hardly the template for fiscal responsibility...the whole point was/is financial priorities.