Introduction and some ramblings...
Hey there Welcome to My View of the Border War.
Those of you who live in the midwest may already know what the Border War is, but for those of you who don't we will have a quick history lesson.
In the mid 1800's the Kansas territory (and Nebraska territory) was being considered for statehood. At the time, each territory had to declare whether it would be a "free state" or a "slave state". Up until this time, the number of free and slave states remained equal and there was a "balance" in the US Congress. Nebraska did as expected, and voted to become a free state. Kansas was expected to vote to become a slave state.
Missouri was a slave state, meaning that they were of the mind that slavery wasn't a problem. Missouri is also a neighbor of Kansas. Being the good neighbor that Missouri is, it wanted Kansas to be a slave state. The problem was that Kansas voted to become a free state, and this swung the balance of power in favor of free staters in national politics.
Missouri didn't take to kindly to Kansas being a free state, and a border war started. This border war was actually the precursor to the American Civil War.
Well, that's the history lesson for today... and that leads me to why I named this blog My View of the Border War. I live in Olathe, Kansas... about 15 miles from the border with Missouri. Even though Border Ruffians don't come across to wage physical war, there is an extremely active political war between Jackson County Missouri and Johnson County Kansas.
Jackson County is home to Kansas City Missouri, large and populous... it's politicians believe it is the center of the universe (at least in these here parts).
Johnson County Kansas is home to 2 of the largest cities in the entire state of Kansas (Overland Park and Olathe), and its population has a higher median income than our eastern neighbor.
Politicians in Jackson County Missouri are always in the news, but usually its because the Feds are investigating them for something they shouldn't have been doing. Right at this moment the Feds are investigating what Jackson County has been doing with money collected from an anti-drug tax. Fun, fun, fun.
One thing those fun Missouri politicians can't stop thinking about is how nice it would be to be able to tax people who live in Kansas! WOW, that would be neat. Most of you would say "they can't do that, it's a different state"... and for the most part you would be correct.
BUT. There is a compact between the two states called the Kansas and Missouri Metropolitan Cultural District Compact (aka Bistate Compact). Neat little thing this compact. It allows both Kansas and Missouri to use sales tax money collected in both states for mutual projects. The problem is that Missouri is usually the home of the projects, while none of the money gets spent in Kansas.
In the view of this Kansan, handing tax money to corrupt (or at least being investigated for corruption) politicians in other state just flat out wrong. Heck, handing Kansas tax money to law abiding politicians would also be wrong. Why? I can't vote in Missouri. My tax money allows me to vote where it is collected and used.
I pay federal income taxes (boy do I pay!). I vote in federal elections, and how my federal tax money is used often times influences how I vote.
I pay sales and income taxes to Kansas, Johnson County, Olathe (and who knows who else has their hand in that pot)... and I get to vote here in Olathe, and for County Reps, and my state legislatures.... but if my tax money, paid in Kansas starts crossing the border for projects over there (oh... like for a sports stadium), I have no vote when those Jackson County buffoons start using creative accounting practices.
Well, for now I don't have to worry about the taxes thing. The 5 major metropolitan counties (Johnson, Jackson, Wyandotte, Clay, & Platte) voted on the issue this past November 2nd. It had to pass by majority in Johnson, Jackson, and Clay counties to take effect... but only the greedy Jackson County voters approved it, so they my tax money stays on this side of the border where it belongs. For now.
Look out Massachusetts, Rhode Islanders may start asking for your sales tax money next
You'll find most of my entries here will relate to this Kansas Vs Missouri thing... and I'll often be critiqueing my favorite local columnists/editorial people when the need arises.
Welcome to the Border Wars... I've got one heck of a view!
Those of you who live in the midwest may already know what the Border War is, but for those of you who don't we will have a quick history lesson.
In the mid 1800's the Kansas territory (and Nebraska territory) was being considered for statehood. At the time, each territory had to declare whether it would be a "free state" or a "slave state". Up until this time, the number of free and slave states remained equal and there was a "balance" in the US Congress. Nebraska did as expected, and voted to become a free state. Kansas was expected to vote to become a slave state.
Missouri was a slave state, meaning that they were of the mind that slavery wasn't a problem. Missouri is also a neighbor of Kansas. Being the good neighbor that Missouri is, it wanted Kansas to be a slave state. The problem was that Kansas voted to become a free state, and this swung the balance of power in favor of free staters in national politics.
Missouri didn't take to kindly to Kansas being a free state, and a border war started. This border war was actually the precursor to the American Civil War.
Well, that's the history lesson for today... and that leads me to why I named this blog My View of the Border War. I live in Olathe, Kansas... about 15 miles from the border with Missouri. Even though Border Ruffians don't come across to wage physical war, there is an extremely active political war between Jackson County Missouri and Johnson County Kansas.
Jackson County is home to Kansas City Missouri, large and populous... it's politicians believe it is the center of the universe (at least in these here parts).
Johnson County Kansas is home to 2 of the largest cities in the entire state of Kansas (Overland Park and Olathe), and its population has a higher median income than our eastern neighbor.
Politicians in Jackson County Missouri are always in the news, but usually its because the Feds are investigating them for something they shouldn't have been doing. Right at this moment the Feds are investigating what Jackson County has been doing with money collected from an anti-drug tax. Fun, fun, fun.
One thing those fun Missouri politicians can't stop thinking about is how nice it would be to be able to tax people who live in Kansas! WOW, that would be neat. Most of you would say "they can't do that, it's a different state"... and for the most part you would be correct.
BUT. There is a compact between the two states called the Kansas and Missouri Metropolitan Cultural District Compact (aka Bistate Compact). Neat little thing this compact. It allows both Kansas and Missouri to use sales tax money collected in both states for mutual projects. The problem is that Missouri is usually the home of the projects, while none of the money gets spent in Kansas.
In the view of this Kansan, handing tax money to corrupt (or at least being investigated for corruption) politicians in other state just flat out wrong. Heck, handing Kansas tax money to law abiding politicians would also be wrong. Why? I can't vote in Missouri. My tax money allows me to vote where it is collected and used.
I pay federal income taxes (boy do I pay!). I vote in federal elections, and how my federal tax money is used often times influences how I vote.
I pay sales and income taxes to Kansas, Johnson County, Olathe (and who knows who else has their hand in that pot)... and I get to vote here in Olathe, and for County Reps, and my state legislatures.... but if my tax money, paid in Kansas starts crossing the border for projects over there (oh... like for a sports stadium), I have no vote when those Jackson County buffoons start using creative accounting practices.
Well, for now I don't have to worry about the taxes thing. The 5 major metropolitan counties (Johnson, Jackson, Wyandotte, Clay, & Platte) voted on the issue this past November 2nd. It had to pass by majority in Johnson, Jackson, and Clay counties to take effect... but only the greedy Jackson County voters approved it, so they my tax money stays on this side of the border where it belongs. For now.
Look out Massachusetts, Rhode Islanders may start asking for your sales tax money next
You'll find most of my entries here will relate to this Kansas Vs Missouri thing... and I'll often be critiqueing my favorite local columnists/editorial people when the need arises.
Welcome to the Border Wars... I've got one heck of a view!
posted by P. McB. at 8:31 PM
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