SOMETHING TO THINK ABOUT

July 28, 2010

How many can remember the excitement in 1994 when Emporia made the Final 5 for the Cessna aircraft plant?

It was truly a great time to live here. Excitement ran high, cooperation reached a fever pitch and everyone seemed to have a “Can Do” attitude.

Eventually history tells us Independence was awarded the Cessna plant, which by the way has been good but not nearly as great as projected for that community.

Emporia?

Well, we were winners too!

First, the cooperation has not stopped. Emporia, Lyon County, the Emporia Chamber of Commerce and citizens have embraced a plan for economic well being that is the envy of the state.

Secondly, we passed a half cent sales tax and the proceeds from it – over $29 million at the end of 2009 – have been used exactly as promised and with outstanding results.

You’ve heard the numbers, but because they are so good, here they are again:

Property Tax Relief – 50% - $13,767,286 – reducing Emporia’s taxes by almost a million dollars each year.

With the first extension of the sales tax, the Aquatics Center bonds were added with over two and half million dollars going for that quality of life investment in Emporia.

And last, $11,301,307 has funded one of the most successful Industrial Development efforts in Kansas.

Over eight and half million dollars has gone for land acquisition, infrastructure improvements and performance based grants.

The balance has funded the operations of the Regional Development Association.

This success story is amazing.

Through 2009, we’ve seen $693 million invested in new buildings and equipment resulting in nearly 2 million square feet of new industrial space.

1,063 new jobs have been created.

That’s impressive.

Without this sales tax, Emporia would not have Menu Foods, Hill’s Pet Food, Camoplast Rockland, Norfolk Iron and Metal or REG.

In addition, virtually every Emporia manufacturer has benefited from this fund. That list includes: Detroit Diesel, Hopkins, Dolly Madison, EVCO, Kansas Technology LLC, Vektek, Advanced Mold and Tool, Birch Telecom, Glendo, Fanestil, Westar Energy and Tyson.

Speaking of Tyson – had it not been for Emporia’s investment with them in their new coolers several years ago it would likely be an abandoned plant now. But, because of that investment nearly one thousand people still work at Tyson today.

That’s our sales tax dollars at work.

Next Tuesday we are being asked to extend this tax through 2024 to insure Emporia leaders can continue to commit these funds over time.

Failure to extend this tax not only will handcuff their efforts, but it would raise all our property taxes when the current sales tax runs out.

As they like to say – this isn’t exactly rocket science. This tax has served us well and it should be extended.

I’m Steve Sauder.

Steve Sauder is president of Emporia's Radio Stations, Inc. the owners of KVOE-AM 1400, Country 101.7 and Mix 104.9. Steve has been in a leadership position with ERS, Inc., since 1987.