ELECTION SET TUESDAY, NOV. 7
For some voters in Platte County, there is an election on Tuesday, Nov. 7.
Voters in the City of Parkville and in the City of Kansas City will head to the polls to decide a few issues. Polls open at 6 a.m. and close at 7 p.m.
See the legal notices section for a list of polling places for Kansas City in Platte County voters. Parkville voters will cast their ballots at the Parkville Presbyterian Church, 819 Main Street in Parkville.
Parkville is bringing back the use tax question, which has been voted down multiple times in the city, with the latest rejection coming in April of this year. Voters rejected it with 430 against to 409 in favor.
The use tax would apply Parkville’s sales tax, currently 2.5%, to internet and other out-of-state purchases.
Meanwhile, Parkville will also be asking its voters to approve a 3% sales tax on recreational marijuana sales within the city.
Parkville Mayor Dean Katerndahl says the marijuana tax revenue will be dedicated to unfunded needs, such as stormwater improvements. Katerndahl has said the city only has one licensed recreational marijuana retailer within its city limits and it is unknown how much revenue the new tax would generate.
As for the use tax on internet purchases and other out of state sales, Katerndahl says revenue generated via the use tax will have a significant impact on the city’s ability to “maintain its streets, sidewalks and curbs and maintain its current trails and build new trails.”
Katerndahl said the use tax is dedicated solely to “major street construction projects; street, curb and sidewalk maintenance and repair; and construction and maintenance of trails.”
“The board of aldermen and I feel this is a very critical vote because we do not have adequate revenue dedicated to our infrastructure. The only funds dedicated to infrastructure maintenance are the city’s share of county road sales tax funds, which are about $300,000 per year. However, we should be spending $1 million per year for routine annual maintenance of our over 88 lane miles of streets.
“We have no funding sources dedicated to major street projects like Hwy. 9 through downtown, where we have $5 million in federal and state grants but need an additional $2 million for our portion of the $7 million project.
“Finally, we have no funds dedicated to maintenance of non-park trails and construction of new trails connecting our neighborhoods with commercial areas and parks,” Katerndahl said this week.
The mayor said without a use tax, the city “will be forced to either return federal and state grant funds and forgo two of our major street improvements or dip into the small amount of county road tax the city receives, and thus, fall further behind in maintaining our streets. A modern, growing city has to invest in its streets, curbs, sidewalks and trails if it wants to keep the quality of its infrastructure at the high level residents expect. This is why this is such an important vote,” Katerndahl said this week.
Parkville is reported to be the second fastest growing city in the Kansas City metropolitan area.
KANSAS CITY
BUS TAX
Voters who reside within the city limits of Kansas City in Platte County are eligible to cast ballots on Tuesday’s question over whether to renew the 3/8th cent sales tax for a public bus transit system for Kansas City. The tax has a 10-year sunset.
The question has drawn attention from presiding county commissioners in both Clay and Platte Counties, who complained that Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas has not been appointing members of their counties to the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority (KCATA) board.
As a result the county commissioners are urging their county voters to “consider whether or not to support this taxation without legitimate representation.”
Lucas has ignored recommendations from both counties and has seated KCATA commissioners of his own choosing.
“Without proper representation, will Northland taxpayers get their fair share of tax revenue and KCATA services?” Fricker asked last week.
Lucas did not respond to a request for comment.
There are 31,604 active voters in Platte County who are eligible to participate in the City of Kansas City election, according to information The Landmark requested from the Platte County Board of Elections.