To the editor:

I just read with shocking disbelief Larry Kipp’s July 23 letter to the editor. He states that every year he has asked the Lawrence Home Builders Assn. and others to demonstrate that growth is paying its way. As a past president and present board member of the LHBA, I cannot remember any request, verbal or written, from Mr. Kipp asking for such information.

Mr. Kipp goes on to say that every year we wave our arms and say that we “believe” that it is. That statement is blatantly untrue. The LHBA has never said that growth pays for itself. To make that statement without empirical evidence would be foolish. What we have said is that single-family development in the city of Lawrence is a financial asset to the city, not a liability. Not only have we said it but also we proved it with a privately funded study, involving no tax dollars, headed by Mark Dotzour PH.D. chief economist and director of research for the Real Estate Center at Texas A&M University.

So while I agree with Mr. Kipp that property taxes are too high, blaming their increase on growth, without evidence, is not a valid argument. Meanwhile, new homeowners in Lawrence continue to pay unfair impact fees every time a new home is purchased.

The LHBA informed the city of Lawrence of our research study before it began and was greatly assisted by city staff in collecting data. We were willing to accept the results of the research whether in our favor or not. The LHBA had the courage and initiative to begin the process of analyzing the cost of growth. Maybe now it’s time for others to finance continued research in other areas of the growth issue. How about it, Mr. Kipp, are you willing to stick your neck out like we did?

Lee A. Queen,
Lawrence