AFTER APRIL DEFEAT, IT’S QUICKLY BACK FOR ANOTHER RUN
Try, try, try, try again.
For the fourth time in just over 10 years, Parkville city officials are asking voters to approve a use tax proposal. A use tax proposal has been defeated in each of the previous three attempts in Parkville, though in two of those three occasions the result was decided by a narrow margin.
At a meeting last week, the Parkville Board of Aldermen approved action that will place a use tax proposal on the Nov. 7 ballot. That will be just eight months after the previous attempt failed by 21 votes.
If approved by voters, the use tax would apply the city’s sales tax rate, currently 2.5%, to out-of-state and online purchases.
In the three previous attempts, Parkville voters defeated a use tax proposal by these margins:
2013: 387 No, 377 Yes.
2021: 432 No, 243 Yes.
April of 2023: 430 No, 409 Yes.
“Let me say although this is the fourth time a version of this question has been on the ballot, for most of the current board of aldermen and, quite frankly, a growing percentage of our population, this is only our second time. The electorate came very close to passing it last time in a very low turnout election (turnout was 14.67%) and the adjustments we made to the language hopefully will be successful in bringing much needed infrastructure improvements to the city,” Dean Katerndahl, mayor, said in response to a question from The Landmark this week.
According to city officials, while there is no specific formula for calculating how much revenue the local use tax would generate for the city, the Missouri Municipal League recommends comparing Parkville to other like-sized cities that have a use tax to come up with an estimated amount. Using that method, city officials estimate that a local use tax would generate about $250,000 to $300,000 for Parkville per year.
City officials have declared planned uses for the revenue to be:
•80% to be allocated to funding infrastructure and capital projects. Currently, the city has received two grants and the city says it does not have the matching dollars to leverage the grant dollars received.
•20% to be allocated to funding maintenance, repairs and improvements to transportation corridors, multi-use trails and recreation trails.
City officials point out the city has many miles of trails and the trails that were constructed by Platte County within the Parkville city limits are generally the responsibility of Parkville to maintain. These funds would assist in the maintenance of the trails, according to the city.
The grants that need matching funds from the city include:
•The next phase of Hwy. 9, including the triangular intersection downtown near the post office. That area is generally defined as from Park University’s west entrance to Main Street, south to Mill Street and west to Crooked Road. Estimated cost of $5 million.
•Sidewalks on Bell Road, with a general location from Hwy. 45 south to Hamilton Road. Estimated cost of $1.4 million.
“The principal reason (the city is asking voters for a use tax) is there are no dedicated sources of funds for capital improvements and trail construction and maintenance,” Katerndahl said.
The mayor went on to say: “These funds are not only needed for immediate projects, like Hwy. 9 and Bell Road, but an extensive list of projects down the road such FF Highway. With the influx of more citizens and visitors, maintaining and expanding our current trails continue to be very important to residents. Trails in parks and to connect neighborhoods with parks and commercial areas further enhances the beautiful, walkable town that we all want and love.”
Katerndahl said city officials have received some feedback since the last use tax attempt in April.
“Another reason we are hopeful that residents will approve the proposition is that we have appreciated all of the great feedback we received on reasons the last effort did not pass. We have heard loud and clear from the citizens that the ballot should be as specific as possible on the uses of the proceeds and how it will be monitored and reported to the public.”
More than 200 cities in Missouri already have a use tax that was voted in by their residents. Some of the local entities already with a use tax in place include Platte County, Kansas City, Platte City, and Riverside.