A letter to Mayor and City Council Members

Dear Mayor and City Council members:

Please vote NO on the request from reStart for funding to operate the homeless shelter in Lenexa.

All taxpayers in Johnson County have already pitched in over $10 million for the purchase and operation of the shelter. They have been asked to fund $430,000 over the next eight years to subsidize the operations.

So this NOT a one-time expense. What is the true cost of any shortfalls? Who will pay for those cities not participating. Page 5 of the packet on this item shows that it’s a proposal for us taxpayers to fund the shelter for the next 8 years. And… the per capita cost increases each of those 8 years.

Page 8 of the packet shows that 50 people were counted as “unsheltered” in Johnson County on January 24 of this year. Unfortunately, those 50 people will NOT receive priority in the shelter. On July 25, the Board of County Commissioners (BOCC) voted NOT to check for ties to Johnson County when allowing for residence in the shelter.

In that same July 25 meeting, County Commissioners voted to allow residence in the shelter for people in our country illegally. So a room in the shelter could house someone in our country illegally, while there may be “no room at the inn” for someone from Johnson County, who’s living out of their car or in a tent.

Your duty as mayor and city council members is to act in the best interests of Lenexa residents.

Giving money to an organization that gives the same priority to those outside of Johnson County – and those who aren’t even citizens – is contrary to our best interests. It’s just wrong.

So… please vote NO on this request to spend our tax dollars when it’s not in the best interests of your constituents.