To the editor:

Concerns about the taxing mechanism for the proposed police facility have a great deal of merit as raising taxes should be a last resort for a community wanting to experience a pro-growth, pro-business transformation. The city estimated that it would need to add around 3 mills to the property tax levy for 20 years for a $30 million project (this project is financing $24.2 million).

The property-tax stream is limited to community members owning property. This fails to capture support from visitors, college students and renters — all of whom spend significant time in Lawrence consuming the benefit of public safety provided by our police force.

Further, according to Chad Lawhorn’s calculations in a May 25 Journal-World story, Lawrence has the second highest property taxes in the state when compared to median wages, while it only had the eighth highest sales tax rate. Shifting the burden from property owners alone broadens the base of support for the project. In fact, 30 percent of sales tax dollars are paid by the aforementioned visitors, students and renters, whose support we fail to capture with a property tax hike.

Additionally, the sales tax of 0.2 percent (2 cents on $10) is written with narrow sunset language that terminates the tax in nine years or less and can only be used for this project.

These were significant reasons as to why I chose to vote “yes.” I hope you will join me in this opportunity to support our police officers who have done so much, for so long, with so little — for our community.