Platte County group endorses sales tax extension

By: Gene Hanson

The Platte County Economic Development Council's Public Policy Committee on Aug. 16 endorsed the ballot language for extending Kansas City's 1-cent sales tax for capital improvements that will likely go on the November ballot.

The proposed ballot calls for 35 percent of the revenue generated by the tax to go to neighborhoods. That's up 5 percent from the existing program.

Ed Bradley, chair of the Northland Regional Chamber of Commerce, told the committee the change will provide an additional $1 million for each of the Kansas City Council's five districts. Fifteen percent of the revenue would go for maintenance and 50 percent for citywide projects.

Under the ballot language, the tax, which is set to expire in 2008, would be extended for 10 years.

The City Council must act on the tax today, Aug. 23, in order to get it on the November ballot.

The committee also adopted three different alignment options for extending light rail in Platte County.

The options would somewhat parallel the alignment suggested by the Kansas City Area Transportation Authority but would differ sharply from the so-called Chastain plan that voters approved in 2006.

All the options would extend light rail to KCI Airport with an alignment east of Interstate 29, while the Chastain plan would be west of the I-29.

“Light rail is about getting people to jobs,” said Pete Fullerton, executive director of the council. “It's not about bringing conventioneers from the airport to the downtown area.”

The initial phases of the light-rail system would be south of the river, then crossing the river to a point in southern Clay County.

But Fullerton said the link to the airport remained a key factor.

“Taking light rail to the airport is what will get out the vote,” he said. “But engineers and consultants will tell you there is no way light rail to the airport can be justified because of low ridership.”

The light-rail plan approved by the voters would divert a 3/8-cent sales tax that now supports the ATA and divert it to light rail in April 2009.

ATA officials have said diversion of the tax would all but collapse the city's bus system, which they say is needed to support a light-rail plan.

The light-rail options approved by the committee will be forwarded to the Northland Chamber of Commerce Light Rail Task Force.

The ATA has also announced the formation of a 36-member light-rail task force that will provide input to the ongoing alternative analysis study of light rail being conducted by a consultant group.

More than 300 people had applied to serve on the task force.

Business Editor Gene Hanson can be reached at 389-6638 or at ghanson@npgco.com.