Why Must Topeka Taxpayers Fund City Appeal?
In 2007, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) denied the Episcopal Church request to build a parking lot on Bethany Place, 835 SW Polk. Yet, City Council members voted to allow the parking lot. On July 21, 2008, Judge Theis ruled that the City Council acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and then denied this parking lot on Bethany Place. Why does the City Council want to appeal this ruling?
We want to know:
1. What exactly does the City of Topeka disagree with in the court ruling?
2. How much of our tax money has been spent on this lawsuit and how much will an appeal cost?
3. Why is the City willing to spend thousands of dollars appealing a court ruling which prevents building a parking lot for a church, when our city streets are crumbling, presumably because we do not have money to fix them?
4. Where does building a parking lot for a church rank in priority compared with providing city streets, police and fire protection?
5. What communication has the City Manager, Attorney and Council Members received from the community which motivated them to appeal the court ruling?
We, the Citizens "FOR TOPEKA" want a local government that works for us, not the special interests of a privileged few. Too many times, citizens have walked out of Topeka City Council chambers, shaking their heads in disbelief, wondering why the law wasn't followed, wondering why there is such blatant disregard for the wishes of the general citizenry.
By signing this petition, I am declaring my dissatisfaction with the City's appeal of Judge Theis's ruling and demanding accountability on the part of our City's leaders.
In 2007, the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) denied the Episcopal Church request to build a parking lot on Bethany Place, 835 SW Polk. Yet, City Council members voted to allow the parking lot. On July 21, 2008, Judge Theis ruled that the City Council acted in an arbitrary and capricious manner, and then denied this parking lot on Bethany Place. Why does the City Council want to appeal this ruling?
We want to know:
1. What exactly does the City of Topeka disagree with in the court ruling?
2. How much of our tax money has been spent on this lawsuit and how much will an appeal cost?
3. Why is the City willing to spend thousands of dollars appealing a court ruling which prevents building a parking lot for a church, when our city streets are crumbling, presumably because we do not have money to fix them?
4. Where does building a parking lot for a church rank in priority compared with providing city streets, police and fire protection?
5. What communication has the City Manager, Attorney and Council Members received from the community which motivated them to appeal the court ruling?
We, the Citizens "FOR TOPEKA" want a local government that works for us, not the special interests of a privileged few. Too many times, citizens have walked out of Topeka City Council chambers, shaking their heads in disbelief, wondering why the law wasn't followed, wondering why there is such blatant disregard for the wishes of the general citizenry.
By signing this petition, I am declaring my dissatisfaction with the City's appeal of Judge Theis's ruling and demanding accountability on the part of our City's leaders.
By sending this letter, I am declaring my dissatisfaction with the City's appeal of Judge Theis's ruling and demanding accountability on the part of our City's leaders.
With todays struggling economy, this is a waste of money to appeal this decision using tax payers money. Our government nees to learn to value taxpayer money, and not blow it on a legal case that should not have been pursued against the church. Our government needs to learn to manage taxpayer money.
For more impact, add a personal comment here, let your elected officials know how you really feel!
Appealing a ruling just to try to get a parking lot is really stupid and a great waste.
I think that Topeka's City Council should be more concerned with the poor quality of our streets than spending money appealing the decision regarding the parking lot--Topeka High students have had the same parking problem for years and the city hasn't seemed to worry about where the students will park. Why then is it so important to help ONE church appeal this decision? Why should our tax dollars go to appeal this? I will be paying attention to how each and every one of you votes on this issue and will be certain to share how wach of you votes with other tax paying citizens throughout this city.
Stop wssting Topeka tax dollars on this appeal.
There are a lot of things that our tax money needs to go to instead of this issue. Our streets are horrible, potholes everywhere. The crime here in topeka is also something that could be spent more time and money on.
Don't waste money appealing the right to put a parking lot on a beautiful, historic area...good grief.
As a native Topekan and a THS grad, I support all efforts to maintain the urban fabric of central T-town! Keep up the good work, preservationists!
I demand to know why City Council acts like it has no cap on money for what THEY want, but have NO money when it comes to things the citizens of Topeka want.
Since when is the City of Topeka part of the Episcopal Dioceses of Kasas? There is a litany of critical needs that the Council has assiduously ignored that are more relevant to the taxpayers than fighting a law that has been on the books for years, and has been validated repeatedly in the courts. With a stagnant economy, crime rates higher than the nation as a whole, and fire stations that we can't staff, our city cannot afford the expensive luxury of grandstanding about property rights for an religious entity that does not pay property taxes.
The city council could believe in a lawful need for appeal, as church members seem to miss saving parking lot expenses by simply escorting the able-driving but still needy into services. While local taxpayers' legal-dept. expense grows, deep budget cuts for local elderly assistance pass. This church shuns handicap-parking practices popular at other leading churches, and by seeking more half-day-a-week parking stalls, even ignores the nation's oil and grain-for-food concerns. There are good capital city citizens in this church.
Take the money you'd spend appealing the decision and use it to support TPAC, which would mean you could save more than one thing--historic property and downtown Topeka.
Although I have moved from Topeka, my family is still there and lives in the historic neighborhood. Please keep the integrity of the neighborhood intact.
What ever happened to "the voice of the people"?? It seems more and more that the Topeka City Council thinks that you "know better" what is right for our citizens...and even that you believe yourselves to be above the law! Whether it's helicopters or historical sites, you are NOT "entitled" to do what YOU want, despite what WE the people have expressed as our desires. Enough is enough.
