‘No’ to trash tax

To the editor:

On a recent visit to Newton Medical Center for a pulmonary function test, the technician, upon discovering that I was from Marion County, asked whether Marion County was as depressed financially as she had heard it was. It really gave me cause to ponder.

After reading about the possibility of Marion County creating a new transfer station, I believe it is necessary, but I disagree with the financing. User fees, yes; sales tax, no.

Families already carry a heavy tax burden. Kansas is one of four states that has the highest sales tax on food and groceries, and except for lack of proper statistics, Marion County may have the highest sales tax on food in the nation.

User fees, on the other hand, attach the cost to those who create the trash.

Almost everyone pays it. Schools, churches, residences, hospitals, nursing homes and business entities. However, one type of business is exempt from the business trash fees.

That type of business already receives preferential treatment on sales tax, income tax, motor fuel tax, vehicle registration fees, zoning, building permits, and even on the method of disposing of trash.

If those businesses, and there are many of them in the county, were paying user fees on trash like everyone else, it would generate about $250,000 annually.

Ask your commissioners about it. It’s their rule.

Max Hayen
Marion