R-3 ‘does not endorse or oppose’ it
Though the ballot language does not state it, there is a question at the April 6 election within the Platte County R-3 School District that will bring a tax increase if approved.
Metropolitan Community College (MCC) has placed a tax levy issue on the ballot. MCC is seeking approval to annex the Platte County R-3 School District into its “in-district” boundaries.
MCC’s ballot language does not mention a tax levy increase, but the passage of the measure will result in a new tax levy for those within the R-3 school district boundaries, along with reduced in-district tuition rates at MCC.
The tax rate in the MCC is currently .2128 cents per $100 of assessed valuation. For passage, the question requires simple majority.
The average market value of a single family home in Platte County is around $282,000. Based on that value, the MCC tax would cost the owner of an average market value home $114.02 per year.
Proponents say a benefit of passing the measure is that students residing within the Platte County R-3 School District would be able to see their tuition costs per credit hour reduced by almost 50 percent at MCC community colleges. The colleges include MCC-Blue River in Independence, MCC-Business & Technology in Kansas City, MCC-Longview in Lee’s Summit, MCC-Maple Woods located off of NE Barry Road, and MCC-Penn Valley located along Southwest Trafficway in Kansas City.
The Platte County Board of Elections confirmed this week per the state statute that gives MCC the authority to ask the ballot question and gives guidance on how it should be asked, placing tax information in the ballot question is not required.
Meanwhile, in an email to patrons this week, Platte County R-3 School District officials said:
“Please note:
.Platte County R-3 School District had nothing to do with placing this measure on the ballot.
.Revenue generated by this tax levy goes to Metropolitan Community Colleges.
.This is not tied to Platte County R-3 School District’s No Tax Increase Bond Issue, also on the April 6 ballot.”
The April 6 MCC ballot measure reads:
“For the purpose of providing greater affordable access to quality higher education by providing in-district tuition rates for residents within the Platte County R-III School District, shall the Platte County R-III School District be attached to The Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri effective the 22nd day of April 2021?”
The Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri is also known as Metropolitan Community College (MCC).
Platte County R-3 isn’t the only school district where the idea is being proposed on the spring ballot. Other districts with the ballot question on April 6 are: Kearney, Smithville, Liberty, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Harrisonville, and Raymore-Peculiar.
It is important to know that each school district vote is separate from the others. The “attachment” to MCC and the accompanying tax levy will go into effect in each school district where it is approved by voters and will not go into effect where it is not approved by voters.
Platte County School District officials said the district takes no position on this ballot measure.
“As a district, we do not endorse the measure or oppose it,” an email from R-3 to patrons said this week.
These school districts are already members of MCC district:
Park Hill, North Kansas City, Kansas City Public Schools, Independence Public Schools, Fort Osage R-1 School District, Blue Springs R-IV School District, Raytown C-2 School District, Hickman Mills C-1 School District, Grandview Consolidated School District No. 4, Lee’s Summit R-7 School District and Belton School District.
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