• About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Wednesday, February 1, 2023
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem!
    • Weekly Pickem Updates
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish
No Result
View All Result
The Platte County Landmark Newspaper
No Result
View All Result

Tax levy not mentioned in MCC ballot language

Ivan Foley by Ivan Foley
March 19, 2021
in Featured
Tax levy not mentioned in MCC ballot language
23
SHARES
577
VIEWS
Share on FacebookShare on TwitterShare via Email

Passage would mean lower tuition, tax hike

Some potential voters have noticed what they feel is an important fact missing from ballot language in a question on the April 6 ballot.

Voters in the Platte County R-3 District will decide whether or not to “attach” the school district boundaries to The Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri.

RelatedNews

Ballfields in Platte City slated for improvement

GET READY FOR TAKE-OFF

Developer pledges $2 million for new vo-tech school

The yes or no ballot questions does not mention that passage would bring a tax increase within the district. Metropolitan Community College currently has a tax levy of .2128 per $100 of assessed valuation. That levy would be assessed on real estate and personal property within the R-3 district, if voters approve the question.

According to information provided upon request by the Platte County Collector’s Office, the .2128 tax levy would bring in $1,115,355 annually for the Metropolitan Community College, based on the 2020 assessed valuation within the school district.

Platte County Board of Elections officials say that including the tax levy in the ballot language is not a requirement per state statute.

“There is no mention of the tax in the ballot language because the levy varies year-to-year and is set by the state,” Blake Fry, executive director of communication and marketing for MCC told The Landmark this week.

“To state a specific amount in the ballot language would not be a true depiction of what the tax could be in the future,” Fry added.

“By statute, our tax would never exceed .27,” he remarked.

As examples, the owner of a $280,000 home in the R-3 district would pay $114 annually to the MCC. The owner of a $150,000 home would pay roughly $60 in taxes per year to the MCC.

Proponents of the measure point out passage of the “attachment” question would mean lower tuition for residents of the Platte County R-3 School District.

Fry said the cost per credit hour with attachment is $107, considerably less than the $198 without it.

Campaign material distributed by Missourians for Higher Education, Bill Skaggs, treasurer, indicates that “MCC and other Metro KC District schools provide technical and continuing education to all ages in a changing economy. Attaching the district to more of our neighbors can continue their education and get higher paying jobs.”

Proponents also say “attaching to the Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City will allow all residents to pursue a quality education close to home at any of five area campuses.” They also point out that “all credit hours and courses offered by the Junior College District of Kansas City are fully transferable to four-year universities. This means students can stay closer to home and save money for the first two years of their college education.”

The colleges that are a part of the MCC system 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.

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,” a recent email from the R-3 district to patrons said.

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.

Tags: electionsplatte countytaxes
Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley

Ivan Foley, owner/publisher of the Platte County Landmark, has been on the news beat in Kansas City's Northland for 40 years. He provides weekly observations in his Between the Lines column and serves as host of Landmark Live, a light-hearted videocast featuring newsmakers in the Northland.

Related Posts

45 Years Ago–January 27, 1978

by Ivan Foley
January 27, 2023
0

Miss Grace Ann McLain and Clifford Northern were united in marriage by the Rev. Lester Weeks at the First Christian Church in Platte City on Saturday evening, Jan. 21. The parents of the couple are Mr. and Mrs. Charles McLain...

30 Years Ago–January 23, 1993

by Ivan Foley
January 27, 2023
0

A preliminary budget calling for $7.9 million in general fund expenditures has been presented by Bob Griffith, county auditor and budget officer. General fund revenues for 1993 are expected to be the same as expenditures, $7.9 million. Last years budget...

15 Years Ago–January 23, 2008

by Ivan Foley
January 27, 2023
0

The Landmark exclusively can report a motion to terminate the employment of Keith Moody, longtime city administrator, was approved by a majority of the Platte City Board of Aldermen Tuesday night. The decision to fire Moody was made on a...

Rapid fire

Rapid fire

by Chris Kamler
January 27, 2023
0

Apparently, I've been working too hard because all I've done in two days of vacation have slept. Also, mediocrity is rewarded. My proof? Carl Cheffers has been named the head referee for the Super Bowl. I guess if you throw...

Next Post
City of Parkville

Let's talk in code

Popular News

  • County getting ready to rearrange some chairs

    County getting ready to rearrange some chairs

    8 shares
    Share 3 Tweet 2
  • Lawsuit claims toxic heavy metals in herbs and spices

    22 shares
    Share 9 Tweet 6
  • Nation’s oldest polar bear dies at KC Zoo

    6 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 2
  • East side Hwy. 92 will become four-lane stretch

    18 shares
    Share 7 Tweet 5
  • Vanover wins Sunshine Law trial

    5 shares
    Share 2 Tweet 1
  • About Us
  • Advertise
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Pickem Terms and Conditions
Call us at 816-858-0363

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved

No Result
View All Result
  • Subscribe Online
  • Home
  • Local News
  • Opinion
  • Landmark Pickem
    • Login / Sign-up
    • Results by Week
    • The Leaderboard
    • Pickem Rules and Help
  • Landmark Live!
  • Looking Backward
  • es_MXSpanish

Copyright © 2019-2020 The Platte County Landmark Newspaper - All Rights Reserved