| |
Welcome to the new home of Lee's Summit Tribune. We are dedicated to providing you the most current and accurate news and events in Lee's Summit
|
|
Home
»
Opinion
»
Another City Slogan To Cost Lee's Summit...
|
|
|
| | |
|
 | |  |
|
Another City Slogan To Cost Lee's Summit Taxpayers $270,000
September 29, 2012
Dear Editor,
In difficult economic times, it is truly amazing that our City of Lee’s Summit’s budget committee has “found” an extra $270,000 dollars to spend on, “Yours Truly.”
No, not for me, unfortunately (ha), but to come up with and study the effectiveness of this new city, “Yours Truly” slogan/colors/logo.
The spirit of this letter is of constructive suggestions for our City Council members. I thank them for their often “thankless” service for we citizens.
Rather than a meaningless slogan/logo promotion to metro KC, I would “pitch” Lee’s Summit’s actual award winning attributes directly with job creating businesses and manufacturers (best downtown, best Parks and Recreation, best schools/educated workers, best medical facilities) to name only a few.
Keep it real. Talk about the true value of our city’s fast response emergency responders, well-trained fire and police departments, not to mention, our other excellent city services.
Now, folks, this is the forth “new” slogan for Lee’s Summit in the last several years. This over quarter of a million dollars was in addition to $40,000 spent on the discarded, “There’s More Here” city slogan.
That totals $310,000…after a while your talking about real money! But folks, “that’s not all,” as the TV pitch man would say, after these taxpayer dollars are spent, then the city may put even more of your money into this branding initiative.
I can’t help but wonder if a good city reputation comes from demonstrated excellence rather than slogan/logo metro PR campaigns --- sort of like sideline cheerleaders vs.. a well coached winning football team (ask ESPN why they came to Lee’s Summit West High School).
On Sept. 6, the City Council endorsed this new spending, but decided not to appropriate the money until details of how to measure its success are worked out. So, fellow Lee’s Summit taxpayers, perhaps you would want to contact your councilperson or the mayor to let them know what you think about this city priority.
Here is a link to the e-mail of each city council person:
http://cityofls.net/City-of-Lees-Summit/City-Officials/City-Council.aspx
or contact Mayor Randy Rhoads Randy.Rhoads@cityofls.net.
Sometimes a citizen has to wonder if our city couldn’t better use these funds or (heaven forbid) not spend the funds all! Before the Council spends $270,000 dollars of our money, they could consider alternatives for using these scarce financial resources. Here are some ideas that come to mind:
1) A one time tax refund to all Lee’s Summit citizens who pay city taxes.
2) Using the funds for fire and police equipment (or similar equipment needed by other city departments) that would improve response time or make a department more productive.
3) Repairing or paving city streets.
4) Adding to our city “rainy day reserve” fund (thus making our city more attractive to corporate industrial development directors while regaining our city’s credit rating).
5) A down payment on building a new business/industrial park to attract tax paying/job growing business investments for Lee’s Summit (residential growth never pays for itself).
6) Consider using existing city and/or R-7 school district PR departments to research, develop and monitor the effectiveness of a “city brand” at no added cost to we taxpayers.
Yours Truly, (or better…”Lee’s Summit - An Award Winning City”
Dan Hall
Lee’s Summit, MO
| |
 | |  |
| | |
|
Other Recent Articles from the Opinion Category:
| |
| | |
|
|
|
|
|
|
The wonderful world of scouting - How to join Girl Scouts
|
|
|
