The Gadfly is a series of letters offering commentary on local issues and published in the Warrensburg Gazette.

Dear Editor

Will Rogers said "All I know is what I read in the papers" - our local papers are full of articles that beg for commentary on our on local institutions and activities, with particular attention to our various governments' uses of our money.

In Washington & Jeff City, our high-level politicians have been fighting about the best way to cut taxes and how much to cut them. Meanwhile, here in Johnson County, it looked for a while like our elected officials were getting ready to fight about who gets to raise taxes. The Warrensburg School Board got their blank check in April. Now that the County Commission is discussing raising taxes for a new jail, the Warrensburg city council is worried that there won't be any taxes left for them.

The County Commission was rushing to get their tax on the ballot in November, before we go into tax-shock when we get our new property tax statements with the school tax increase. The County Commission was talking about a 3/8 of 1% tax, but the local daily doesn't think that's enough. The latest news indicates that the Commissioners are getting negative feedback from their constituents, not surprising when you consider that it would make taxes in Warrensburg at least 7.6% - with the room tax, motels would go over 10% - & 6.1% out in the country . "Aunt Ida" says it's enough to make a body think about shopping someplace else.

Judge Dandurand had it right - if the County hadn't caved in to Warrensburg's blackmail on the law enforcement tax distribution, the money may have been there. It makes you wonder if our politicians have considered renegotiating the terms of the existing tax.

Find out what YOUR legislators are up to: use the internet (Trails Library has public access computers if you don't have your own). Open site www.state.mo.us, click on General Assembly, then click on Bill Tracking. It's pretty self explanatory.