Area man calls for intelligent, fiscally responsible growth

Editor:

In response to your question, “Do we want growth or not?”, I would tell you that I prefer my growth well done with a side of fiscal responsibility and some intelligence thrown in In your editorial, money was the all you talked about. You want your home to become an investment so your daughter can grow up in a better place. You want grants from every government agency so new businesses can jump in and start making money. You dug up data from communities that supposedly shows them prospering magically. There is an old saying that numbers will confess to anything if you torture them enough. .It appears that you have been water boarding them. First of all, where do grants come from? Grants from the federal government come from taxes or our country borrows money from countries like China at huge interest rates. Some State grants come from taxes or royalties placed on our coal or gas industries or your tax dollars. This notion that grants are just free money laying around for the taking is naïve. There is a cost and you and I as a taxpayers and consumers are already paying it in higher taxes and higher utility costs. Its seems that growth is all the trend and unfortunately we want it right now. We wanted growth in the stock market so our corporations sent all of the manufacturing jobs to other countries so their share prices would grow. How is that working out?

Wild speculation and growth in the housing industry lead to a near collapse of our economy. The tech market collapse was the result of a lust for growth. As a person who has had a presence in this town for 45 years I have seen many business come and go. Those who grew slowly and wisely are still here. Those who had the “I want it all now” mentality are not. So in response to your question.....yes I want growth, but not all at once and not at the expense of the tax payers. If a daycare wants to set up shop in Saratoga, let them figure out if there is a reasonable amount of customers to support their business and invest their own money to make it happen. The tax payers have bailed out enough companies with dreams of personal growth and riches but no business plans. We live in one of the best places in the country and our city government is doing a good job of maintaining a great quality of life while supporting reasonable growth in the valley

Take a deep breath and relax before Wal-Mart gets any ideas.

Sincerely,

Ronald E. Hutchins

Lenexa, Kan.