To the editor:

I am a senior citizen who has been fairly successful in navigating the chopping waters leading to financial stability and I feel qualified to comment on a proposed city sales tax increase.

The overall budget for this community has been carefully calculated by experts, I am certain, but the first thing I learned about money management was to itemize and prioritize. You spend what you have, with absolute necessary items first, then frills, if there are surplus funds. You don’t go to the “boss” (us taxpayers) and say, “Gee, I need a raise to handle my desires for recreational amenities or other visionary projects.”

But if the “boss” feels a much-discussed sales tax increase (Lawrence is already one of the highest in Kansas) has merit, he certainly has the right to demand accountability.

Therefore, you must budget that special extra percentage with a very specific purpose and keep it separate from general funds. No borrowing from one pocket to the other. That will really get you into trouble.

Naturally, you recognize that new parks and other infrastructure must have a future maintenance plan built in.

You should be willing to publish an exact accounting in the Journal-World, every six months, a visible ledger showing monies collected and spent in the agreed-upon categories.

The envelope system I adopted as a bride has served me well for 60 years. It is a simple but effective method even on computers. When the envelope is empty, “that’s all, folks.”

Jeane R. Landry,

Lawrence