Thursday, November 20th, 2008

New mayor proposes sales tax increase

Improved transportation and job creation also on Hack's agenda

In her first public address after becoming the new mayor, Sue Hack set forth some of the goals for her one-year term.

By Matt Erickson (Contact)

Wednesday, April 11th, 2007

Sales tax increase, job creation, and improved transportation — Sue Hack, newly elected mayor, named these as some of her priorities as she began her one-year term Tuesday night.

In the address she gave upon becoming mayor, Hack also proposed a 1 cent sales tax increase that would help fund a new public library, new recreational facilities, infrastructure improvements and economic development.

Hack said she preferred a sales tax increase to a property tax increase because it would allow the city to tax people who spend money in Lawrence but live elsewhere. However, she said she understood the controversy surrounding any tax increase.

“Commissioners do not get elected by promising to raise taxes,” she said.

A sales tax increase would be subject to a public vote.

Hack, a retired teacher who now works part-time for the Lawrence Chamber of Commerce, also said that Lawrence needed to change its image so businesses might view the city as more development-friendly.

She said the city needs to look at ways to improve traffic in the area near 15th Street and Iowa, where she said many people tend to drive through residential neighborhoods on their way to campus.

Hack said the Lawrence City Commission would also soon tackle the issues of a domestic partner registry, expanded rental registration and downtown safety.

State Attorney General Paul Morrison told the city last week that a domestic partner registry, which would allow same-sex couples to document their relationships with the city, would not violate the state constitution.

She said the expanding of rental registration, which would require all rental property in the city to obtain a license and submit to periodic safety inspections, would require more study, but it might be necessary.

“I want to make sure that we use all the tools we have available before we put on another layer of regulations on rental properties,” she said.

The commission chose Hack as mayor in accordance with tradition. Because Hack received the second-most votes in the 2005 commission election, she became mayor two years later after serving one year as vice mayor.

The commission chose newly elected commissioner Mike Dever as the new vice mayor because he was the top vote getter in last week’s election. If the commission continues to follow tradition, Dever will become mayor in 2008.

The mayor of Lawrence leads city commission meetings, helps set the commission’s agenda, appoints members to various advisory boards and interacts with the public in different ways.

Commissioner Mike Amyx handed over his mayor’s gavel to Hack Tuesday night after serving as mayor for a year. He said the position required a great deal of tireless work and cooperation with many different people.

“It’s as full-time-plus as any job you could ever imagine,” Amyx said.

Hack served as mayor once before, from 2002-2003. She said the job overwhelmed her at first.

“I’ve laughed with my friends that I just wanted to hit myself with the gavel my first year,” she said, “but now I feel a little bit more in control of the job.”

Kansan staff writer Matt Erickson can be contacted at merickson@kansan.com.

— Edited by Stacey Couch

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