KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Voters in Kansas City will decide on two major issues, that could impact their wallets Tuesday. They have to decide if they want a sales tax, and if they’ll allow the city to authorize a bond to upgrade the sewer systems.
Kansas City Mayor Sly James is a strong supporter of these issues. He said many Kansas Citians love the parks, but so do others who don’t live in the city.
“We’ve got people from all over this area that use these parks. We’re just asking for a little bit of help. So that we can maintain them in a way that everybody was become used to,” the mayor said.
James said the parks and recreation budget is currently $27 million, encompassing anything from playground and park maintenance, to community centers. But he said with a sales tax, it could add about $3 million to that budget.
He said it works like this: The city would get rid of three property taxes and the annual $12.50 vehicle license fee. That funding source would be replaced with a 1/2 cent sales tax to everyone who visits and works here.
“The average person is going to see an increase in a sales tax of about $1.50 a month, $18 a year, that’s what the projections are,” James said.
James said if this passes, the department’s budget will be covered through the sales tax, which would then establish a fund used exclusively for street maintenance. He said currently, it’ll be about $15 million, and going forward it will be no less than 7.5 percent of the earnings tax.
Voters will also be asked a second question.
The mayor wants voters to authorize the city to issue water bonds, not to exceed $500 million, so it can start working on the overflow control and sewer problems. James said this won’t have any impact on rates you’re currently paying, but says rates will jump by as much as 90 percent in the second year if this doesn’t pass.
He also adds either way, something must be done.
“Those are big jumps but we have to pay for this federally-mandated program and that’s all there is to it. If we don’t pay for it, we’re going to get penalized and we’ll have to come up with the money for that,” James said.
The mayor said if these issues pass, it’ll maintain the city’s 220 parks, 120 courts or fields, and 10 community centers. He also said it is projected the passage of these issues will create 20,000 new jobs.
On another note, Fox 4 could not find any organized opposition to these issues.
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