SCHOOLS, FIRE DISTRICT, AMBULANCE DISTRICT ASKING FOR APPROVAL
Don’t look now but it’s time to start focusing on the issues and candidates who will be gracing your local election ballot on Tuesday, April 8.
It’s going to be an active election day, with local topics like city questions, city candidates, school district questions, school board candidates, and fire districts, ambulance districts, etc. looking for guidance from their voters and taxpayers.
Polling sites will be open to voters from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. That evening, watch The Landmark’s social media offerings on Facebook (Platte County Landmark) and on X (@ivanfoley) for news as results come in.
See the legal notices section of this edition of The Landmark to find the ballot questions/candidates in full.
Following is a summary of the questions and candidates (in contested races only) facing voters when they go to the polls.
City of Platte City will have four questions on the ballot.
*Shall the city’s mayors in future elections have terms of four years instead of two?
*Shall city aldermen from this point forward serve a four year term instead of the current two year terms?
*Shall the city begin a sales tax of three percent on adult use marijuana?
*Shall the city impose a five percent tax on hotel/motel rooms?
Platte City alderman in ward three will be a contested race between Amber Brune and Ken Graham. Winner replaces John Higgins on the board, as he opted not to seek reelection after many years in office.
Two aldermen positions at City of Parkville have contested races:
Alderman ward two between incumbent Brian Whitley and challenger Lovell Holloway.
Alderman ward four race features three candidates: Evan Maxon, Abby LacKamp, and Wendy Murphy.
City of Tracy has a question on whether to impose a local use tax.
City of Weatherby Lake has a contested race for alderman for the west ward between Doug Richmond and Paula York.
Weatherby Lake will also be asking its voters for a tax levy increase of 31.83 cents per $100 valuation.
City of Weston has a contested race for mayor between Kim Kirby, who is a former city clerk, and Allison Roberts. Weston also has a contested race for alderman in ward two among three candidates: Jerry Gross, Bradley Wright and Tim Penrod.
City of Houston Lake has a question on whether to continue an existing levy of 52.57 cents of $100 valuation for an additional four years for fire suppression services.
The Northland Regional Ambulance District is asking voters to approve the district borrowing money in the amount of $15.1 million for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, improving, operating new and existing facilities of the district, including without limitation a new headquarters station and education center, acquiring land for and constructing a new satellite station in Smithville; and renovating and improving an existing station in Platte City. District would issue bonds for the payment.
The Central Platte Fire District is asking voters to approve a 17-cent tax levy increase “for the purpose of hiring additional firefighters to reach 24/7 staffing levels, covering additional expenses and training requirements.” In other words, the district wants to become a full time department instead of relying on ‘volunteer’ firefighter positions.
The district’s current tax levy is 27.57 cents, so the proposal asks for more than a 60% tax increase.
In a recent Facebook posting, the fire district says “the last time we requested a tax levy increase was 25 years ago, and since then we have voluntarily reduced our tax rate to a level lower than it was in 1999. Despite growing demands and rising costs, we have worked hard to be fiscally responsible while maintaining service–but now additional funding is needed to keep up with the needs of our community.”
Park Hill School District has two tax increase proposals on the ballot.
Proposition G at Park Hill would require just a simple majority for passage. It would increase the operating tax levy by 10 cents per $100 for the purpose of “paying teachers and staff competitive salaries and benefits.”
Proposition O at Park Hill requires four-sevenths majority for passage. It asks the voters to approve an issue of general obligation bonds in the amount of $128 million for facilities improvements, including phase one of the replacement of Park Hill High School, as well as stadium and field improvements at Park Hill South High School, and additions to various elementary schools, as well as the purchase of land.
If approved, this would increase the debt service portion of the district’s levy from .5601 currently to .8601 per $100 assessed valuation.
There is plenty of ballot action at the Platte County R-3 School District, as well. R-3 is asking for permission to issue general obligation bonds in the amount of $62 million for facilities improvements for things such as completing phase two of rebuilding Platte County High School, creating a consolidated high school building with all classrooms under one roof, site amenities at Platte Purchase Middle School activities complex, constructing playground facilities at Pathfinder Elementary School, and making hard surface improvements at Compass Elementary School to expand parking and improve traffic flow and safety.
A four-sevenths majority (57.14 percent) approval is required for passage.
The district claims that if this issue passes there will not need to be an increase in the district’s current debt service levy of $1.1789 per $100 of assessed valuation.
Platte County R-3 also has a contested school board race. There are three candidates competing for two open seats. Candidates are Shawn Chiddix (of Kansas City, 64153), Alisha Elliott (of Kansas City, 64155) and John Ready (of Platte City).
