To the editor:

The story in your April 21 edition “State revenue picture brighter” contained an interesting fact that caught my eye: “The state has lost 27,000 manufacturing jobs since 1999.”

How timely to be informed of this fact. All the state of Kansas needs is a few more city commissions like we have in Lawrence, and before long, we will not have any manufacturing jobs.

Interference from city governments (in addition to federal, state) has about reached an epidemic level. Taxing and regulating industry and development are at the point where the return on investment makes it undesirable to operate. Does our city commission really think that business owners are stupid? We do have options; one of them is to move to where we are welcomed and appreciated. If that is another county or foreign country, so be it. Remember that business owners make their decisions based on choices that you, city commissioners among others, force on them.

If our city commissioners and their minions dream up any more roadblocks to providing jobs and development, they may just have to close their “shop” (City Hall), go home and enjoy their newly created Lawrence. I trust that they will find satisfaction in the day that the Lawrence folks will have no more local jobs to go to and no more property tax to collect other than possibly some residential.

Talk about city commissioners that cannot see beyond their noses yet stick their noses into everyone’s business.

Albert Neutel,

Reuter Pipe Organ Co.,

Lawrence