Several local sales tax proposals are on the Tuesday, April 2 election ballot, including Platte County’s measure to build a new county jail, Parkville’s efforts to provide stable funding for parks projects and two Platte City measures.
PLATTE COUNTY CAPITAL
PROJECTS SALES TAX
On the ballot is a one-half cent sales tax to fund the expansion of Platte County’s jail, provide additional space for the prosecutor, evidence storage and an additional courtroom. This sales tax would sunset after six and one-quarter years. Based on current data it is estimated that, if passed, the tax would generate approximately $65 million dollars in sales and use tax over the life of the tax.
These funds would add about 200 beds to the currently 180-bed detention facility, fund repairs and improvements to the existing jail and relocate the sheriff’s office to allow the county prosecutor to move into the space. This move frees up space in the historic courthouse building for the addition of another division of the Platte County Circuit Court.
The decision to expand the jail is part of a 20 year plan to address current and future jail needs. The jail population fluctuates constantly. As an example, the lowest daily population in 2018 was 153 while the highest daily population was 215. Additionally, the architects estimate that once construction begins it would take approximately 18-24 months to complete construction. The jail crowding issue has been discussed since 2012. In 2014, a construction cost estimate provided for a similarly sized facility was approximately half of the current cost estimate for construction today.
Additionally, commissioners say the tax is part of their overall effort to realign the county’s tax structure. More information on the proposal is available at infoplattejail.com.
PARKVILLE PROPOSITION
P PARKS SALES TAX
Citing a need to fund its own park projects with the possible end of the county parks sales tax on the horizon, Parkville voters will be asked to approve a half-cent sales tax dedicated to fund parks maintenance and operations for 10 years. If approved, the tax would take effect on Oct. 1 and provide an estimated $500,000 each year to improve the city’s parks and recreation facilities. Over a 10 year period, these funds would be supplied to building new park and recreation facilities and maintaining existing facilities.
The city maintains over 200 acres of parkland, including English Landing Park, Platte Landing Park, the Parkville and Sullivan nature sanctuaries and several neighborhood parks.
The 2016 Parks Master Plan was created to provide a road map for the utilization, development and expansion of Parkville’s current and future park system. The total cost to complete the recommendations in the Plan is estimated between $4.8 million and $7.7 million. Current funding averages $150,000 annually for maintenance and new projects. Grants contribute up to $50,000 annually. At the current rate of funding, the plan would take an estimated 24 to 38 years to complete.
The top three funding priorities include trail connectivity; completion of the ballfields and multipurpose fields in Platte Landing Park; and upgrades to and maintenance of smaller neighborhood parks and trails that have a more direct impact to community members in the area.
More information on the tax proposal can be found at parkvillemo.gov.
PLATTE CITY
The City of Platte City will ask voters permission to issue nearly $6 million in general obligation bonds on Tuesday, April 2.
The Platte City board of aldermen approved two ballot questions at the Tuesday, Jan. 15 board of aldermen meeting. The questions read as follows:
“Shall the City of Platte City issue its general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $3.2 million for the purpose of acquiring, constructing, furnishing, equipping and improving city buildings, facilities and structures including without limitation funding for a police station or a combined police station or a combined police station and city administration building?”
And, “Shall the city of Platte City issue its general obligation bonds in an amount not to exceed $2.5 million for the purpose of acquiring rights-of-way and designing, constructing, reconstructing, extending and improving highways, streets, roads, sidewalks and bridges in the city including without limitation funding improvements in the Highway 92 corridor and the Highway 92 overpass and ramps at Interstate 29?”
Platte City leadership has worked on an updated capital projects plan for some time, with city subcommittees approving the plan last year.
Last November, Platte City voters approved an extension of the city’s three-eighths cent transportation tax, extending it for an additional 20 years to fund continued road improvements in Platte City.
NORTHMOOR
The City of Northmoor in southern Platte County is asking voters to decide on a local use tax at the same rate as the local sales tax rate. A use tax return shall not be required to filed by persons whose purchases from out-of-state vendors do not exceed in total of $2,000 in a calendar year. A simple majority is needed for this passage.
KANSAS CITY
Question 1 in Kansas City is the pre-k economic development salex tax. For a period of 10 years at a rate of 3/8 of a percent would be used for economic development through funding pre-k instruction for 4- and 5-year olds the year before they enter kindergarten, funding improvements for early childhood centers and investing in the city’s early childhood education workforce. A simple majority is needed to approve this question.