City should begin tightening its belt

  Ever have one of those 'no duh' moments?
  They tend to happen all the time, espe­cially if you're like anyone else with a regu­lar tendency toward human mistakes.
  So, we have to wonder if Dodge City's leadership offered up a resounding 'no duh' when a recent study by the Kansas League of Municipalities ranked Dodge City numero uno on the top of the most­taxed first-class cities in Kansas.
  Now to be clear, this specif­ically addresses the city’s mill levy, which is property taxes.
  Sales tax wasn't taken into account. But still, that's not really a list that will launch you into a rous­ing chorus of 'We're Number 1!' First-class cities. Let that sink in.
  That means that Dodge City has a higher property tax rate than Wichita; Kansas City, Kan.; Topeka; and so on.
  When asked why Dodge ranked so high among the taxed, city clerk Nannette Pogue told the Daily Globe that because Dodge's assessed valuation was so low, the city had to levy more mills to stay on par with the likes of Liberal and Garden.
  And while we're willing to give the city the benefit of the doubt that it’s got the community's best interests in mind, one has to wonder what happened to the old adage of having a budget and living within your means.
  If Dodge's assessed valuation is so low, it would behoove the city fathers to find ways to encourage growth from local and chain businesses in the community to help bol­ster our valuation. The city has long had a reputation for being unfriendly to big busi­nesses wanting to put down roots in Dodge City.
  Point of reference: Sam's Club, Home Depot and IHOP in Garden City and not Dodge.
  When you return to taxpayers year after year to keep up with the Joneses, your citi­zens start to feel a bit like piggy banks.
  Now, we're not so brash as to claim that taxes are an unnecessary evil.
  Without them, we don't have the police and fire departments or teachers at both the college and the K-12 schools. We don't have roads, we don't have sewers and we don't have the basics needed for a func­tioning society.
  Yet at some point, we have to wonder when the city will look at our property taxes (183 mills, for the record), take a step back and try and live a bit more within its means until potential valuation boosters like the casino and special events center come into being.
  The rest of us are cutting corners and making do. It's always a good feeling when those dealing with your taxes make the same gesture.