IT WON’T HAPPEN IN NOVEMBER
Parkville city officials will decide “at a later time” whether to bring back a tax question that was soundly defeated recently.
That’s according to Mayor Dean Katerndahl in a recent city newsletter.
“In August, voters were asked whether to extend a property tax levy that has been in place since 2004. The funds from that levy would have been dedicated to keeping up our public infrastructure—streets, curbs, sidewalks—as well as maintaining public facilities, like the transportation barn and City Hall,” Katerndahl says in the newsletter.
“We had a great voter turnout, and I want to sincerely thank everyone who made their voice heard,” the mayor said.
Voters defeated the tax question with 56 percent opposed to 44 percent in favor. The tax would have been a 20-year property tax of $0.1665 per $100 of assessed valuation.
That same amount of property tax was first approved in 2004 for a 20-year period, which expired last year. In the final days prior to the election, volunteers distributed literature opposed to the tax question. An organization known as Americans for Prosperity was among the opponents, as were some Parkville business leaders.
“What does that mean? Well, it means we won’t have the extra money to devote specifically to street, curb, and sidewalk work,” Katerndahl says in the city newsletter.
“The city will still keep up with repairs each year, but we simply won’t be able to get as much done as we’d like. The more immediate pinch is with repairs at the transportation barn and City Hall. We’ll need to put off some of that work and, if necessary, shift funds from other projects to cover urgent needs,” Katerndahl said.
“The board of aldermen will decide whether to bring this back for voters at a later time. Our infrastructure is only getting older, and the need for maintenance isn’t going away. If we revisit the levy, the request will be as detailed and transparent as possible. But rest assured: it will not be on the ballot this November,” Katerndahl added.
