VOTERS PASS IT BY SIX PERCENT MARGIN
Parkville officials were thrilled with the results of two questions on the city election ballot last week.
“Of course the board of aldermen was thrilled with the results. We were especially pleased with the turnout given these were the only two items on the ballot,” Mayor Dean Katerndahl told The Landmark.
A use tax question was passed by voters with 505 in favor to 455 opposed, 53% to 47%. The use tax will apply Parkville’s sales tax, currently 2.5%, to internet and other out-of-state purchases.
Voter turnout in Parkville was a higher-than-expected 16.72%.
“Thank you, Parkville. Here comes a major upgrade to streets and trails,” Brian Whitley, a Parkville alderman in ward two, posted on his Facebook page when the results were in.
Collection of the tax will begin in April of 2024. Katerndahl said it will be at least the end of the second quarter of 2024–the end of the month of June–before city officials “will know how much revenue the use tax will generate. Once we know that we can begin serious planning for the expenditures. There will be a lot of public discussion at that time,” the mayor said.
City officials have plans for the use tax revenue. The revenue generated 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 mayor 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.”
Katerndahl explained the city has “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.”
MARIJUANA SALES TAX
Also passed by Parkville voters last Tuesday was a three percent sales tax on recreational marijuana sales within the city. Katerndahl recently told The Landmark there is one recreational marijuana retailer in Parkville.
Voters passed the marijuana tax in a big way, with 77% in favor to 23% opposed.