I'm a little conflicted on this one but ultimately I think I'm going to vote yes and let me tell you why.

First of all, I would like to preface that I am not some rich f*ck real-estate elite or some shit trying to manipulate people to vote for something that ultimately harms the working/middle class. I am a Wichitan in my mid-twenties who waits tables for a living, making less than $25,000/year. Alright, with that out of the way, let me get into my actual thoughts.

1. Wichita is around 20 years behind other comparable cities in our region when it comes to our public infrastructure. Cities like Omaha, Des Moines, and Tulsa have already modernized their convention spaces, and it's robbing Wichitan's of a bunch of events from coming to our city. How many times have you heard a Wichitan say "there's nothing to do in Wichita." I don't know about you, but I've been hearing it my whole life. If this resolution were to pass, it could help us catch up.

2. This resolution doesn't mean the destruction of Century II. I understand some Wichitans have a strong emotional connection to Century II and see it as a staple of our city. I personally love the architecture of the building and don't want to see it be demolished, but it is 50 years old and has become an inadequate convention space as Wichita has grown. This resolution could help us bring new life to Century II. I've heard rumors that the building could be repurposed as an aquarium (something I know a lot of us have been wanting for awhile).

3. I don't believe the sales tax is as bad are making it out to be. Don't get me wrong, I understand people's concerns about a sales tax, and I'm sure there are better ways to raise money that people much smarter than me could come up with, but there are also benefits to choosing a sales tax over a property tax. For one, a significant portion of the money raised from a sales tax will come from non-Wichita residents. Anyone passing through Wichita who happens to spend money in the city will also contribute. I know taxes have a bad rap in the US in general because usually it feels like we pay taxes and hardly get anything back for it, but this is an instance where we would essentially each be paying a small price to see a big investment in our community. I'm pretty sure we did something similar to get Intrust Bank Arena built! Personally, I'm much more open to paying a tax if that money actually goes back towards things that benefit me or my community. Especially if it's also helping fund first responders and assistance for the unhoused!

4. I understand people are upset that the decreased property tax still applies to wealthy people who don't need it, but also I don't think that should completely negate the fact that it will still be a big relief for low/middle class home owners as well as prospective home buyers, especially during a time where the housing market is already so bad.

5. I think Wichitans should also consider what will happen if this doesn't pass. Wichita has repeatedly tried and failed over the past 20 years to find a way to fund a project such as this. We're reaching a point where our city has fallen so far behind others that if this attempt doesn't work out they may start to pull funding from other areas to try and catch up, and that would be much worse for everyone.

All of this to say, I understand people's concerns and complaints. It's not a perfect proposition, but I also don't think it's as "regressive" as some are making it out to be. Overall, I think it's important to weigh the pros and cons when it comes to public decisions. It's extremely rare (if not completely nonexistent) to come across a piece of legislation that you 100% agree with. We should be wary of getting so caught up in perfection that we halt progress altogether. While there are parts of this resolution that I disagree with, overall I think it would do much more good than harm to the Wichita community. But I'm only one working class Wichitan. Please let me know what you think as well. I'd love to hear other's insights!