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.
Ciudad de Platte City Tendrá cuatro preguntas en la boleta.
*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?
¿Debería la ciudad comenzar a aplicar un impuesto sobre las ventas del tres por ciento al consumo de marihuana por parte de adultos?
¿Debería la ciudad imponer un impuesto del cinco por ciento sobre las habitaciones de hotel y motel?
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.
Dos puestos de concejal en Ciudad de Parkville Han disputado carreras:
Concejal del distrito dos entre el titular Brian Whitley y el retador Lovell Holloway.
La carrera por el cuarto distrito de concejales presenta tres candidatos: Evan Maxon, Abby LacKamp y Wendy Murphy.
Ciudad de Tracy Tiene una pregunta sobre si se debe imponer un impuesto sobre el uso local.
Ciudad de Weatherby Lake tiene una carrera disputada para concejal del distrito oeste entre Doug Richmond y Paula York.
Lago Weatherby will also be asking its voters for a tax levy increase of 31.83 cents per $100 valuation.
ciudad de weston tiene una carrera disputada para alcalde entre Kim Kirby, ex secretaria municipal, y Allison Roberts. Weston también tiene una carrera disputada para concejal en el distrito dos entre tres candidatos: Jerry Gross, Bradley Wright y Tim Penrod.
Ciudad del lago Houston tiene una pregunta sobre si se debe continuar con un impuesto existente de 52,57 centavos de la valoración $100 durante cuatro años adicionales para servicios de extinción de incendios.
El Distrito Regional de Ambulancias de Northland está pidiendo a los votantes que aprueben que el distrito tome prestado dinero por un monto de $15.1 millones con el propósito de adquirir, construir, mejorar y operar instalaciones nuevas y existentes del distrito, incluyendo, sin limitación, una nueva estación de la sede y un centro educativo, adquirir terrenos para construir una nueva estación satélite en Smithville; y renovar y mejorar una estación existente en Platte City. El distrito emitiría bonos para el pago.
El 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.”
Distrito escolar de Park Hill has two tax increase proposals on the ballot.
Propuesta G en Park Hill Se necesitaría solo una mayoría simple para su aprobación. Aumentaría el impuesto operativo en 10 centavos por cada 100 T/T con el propósito de “pagar a los maestros y al personal salarios y beneficios competitivos”.
Proposición O en 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.
Hay mucha acción electoral en el Distrito escolar R-3 del condado de Platte, 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.
Condado de Platte 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).
