Download the Public Safety Sales Tax Information Packet or check out the above video on YouTube.
About the tax
On Nov. 2, 2010, Kansas City voters will be asked to extend the quarter-cent public safety sales tax. This is not a new tax. It was first approved by voters in 2002. If voters approve the extension, the tax will be in effect for another 15 years. A quarter-cent sales tax means 25 cents of every $100 spent goes toward the tax.
What the tax has accomplished
The original public safety sales tax approved in 2002 has led to the following construction projects:
* Shoal Creek Patrol Division station
* Kansas City Regional Police Academy
* Metro Patrol Division station
* South Patrol / Special Operations Division station
* Partial Headquarters renovation
What the tax will fund if extended
If voters choose to extend the tax, the following new projects will be funded (click here to download full descriptions of the projects and their costs):
* Citywide radio system
* East Patrol Division and Crime Lab campus
* North Patrol Division
* Complete the renovation of Police Headquarters
* Police vehicles
* Police helicopters
* Police facility maintenance
* Police equipment modernization
* Emergency medical services and emergency management
What will be on the ballot
Two questions about the public safety sales tax will be on the Nov. 2 ballot. The first asks about renewing the existing 1/4-cent public safety sales tax. This is not a new tax. This is the ballot language:
Shall the City of Kansas City continue to impose a sales tax authorized by Section 94.577 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri for a period of 15 years at a rate of ¼% to be used for funding expenditures for police, emergency medical services and emergency management associated with promoting, providing, and administering public safety within Kansas City, including but not limited to acquiring, constructing, equipping, furnishing, and/or remodeling facilities and for purchasing and preparing motor vehicles and technology and for other capital improvement and capital equipment needs, to improve response to all hazards, including biological/chemical terrorism or events, which may include the retirement of debt under previously authorized bonded indebtedness or to repay bonds not yet issued?
The second question allows the city to use bonds to borrow money to build the East Patrol Division, new Crime Lab, North Patrol Division and to finish renovating Headquarters right now. Then the tax renewal approved in the first question would be used to pay off those bonds over the 15-year-life of the tax. This would mean that these capital projects would begin soon and be finished in the next 3 to 4 years. Building sooner will take advantage of our current economic environment and avoid construction inflation costs. This is the ballot language of the second question:
Shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri, issue its general obligation bonds in the amount not to exceed $100,000,000.00 for the purpose of retiring debt incurred for funding expenditures for police and other improvements associated with promoting, providing, and administering public safety within Kansas City, including but not limited to acquiring, constructing, equipping, furnishing, and/or remodeling facilities and for purchasing and preparing motor vehicles and technology and for other capital improvement and capital equipment needs, and to improve response to all hazards, including biological/chemical terrorism or events?
The authorization of the bond will authorize the City to maintain tangible property tax rates sufficient to pay the interest and principal on the bonds until fully paid.
