Steve Rose, Publisher
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Mixed messages in vote history
BY: Steve Rose, Publisher
For the first time in modern Johnson County history, citizens are likely to face two countywide sales tax ballot issues in the same year.
The first will come in August, when voters will decide whether to extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax to fund a jail expansion.
The second, if county commissioners agree in May to put it on the ballot, would come in November, seeking an eighth-cent for creation of a higher education research triangle, including large expansions of KU, the KU Medical Center, and K-State into Johnson County.
A half century of voting patterns on various issues in Johnson County reveals nuggets that can help predict the outcome of the jail tax, but leaves some head scratching over the research triangle.
Johnson Countians have demonstrated time after time that they will support with their tax dollars quality of life issues. Every library and park proposal has passed by wide margins. Voters have never said no.
Ditto for jails. As far back as 1960, voters said yes by 2-1 to support a county detention home. In 1985, voters said yes by 2-1 again for a county detention center. In 1995, voters approved by 37,000 to 27,000 a quarter-cent tax for public safety, including a medium security jail, juvenile detention facilities, and community corrections facilities.
When it comes to education, almost every school bond issue, at least in the major school districts, has prevailed. And the creation of the Johnson County Community College passed in 1969 by more than a 2-1 margin.
On a potpourri of issues unrelated to education, parks, libraries and public safety, over the past several decades, voters seem to vote no, with rare exceptions.
In 1972, Johnson County voters had their say on the construction of a sports facility to house a hockey team. They said no by a margin of 54,000 against to 33,000 in favor. As a result of that defeat, Kemper Arena was constructed in Kansas City.
In 1975, voters were asked to approve a series of lakes to be built in south Johnson County that were to make up a Tomahawk Reservoir. It went down to defeat, 21,000 no to 13,000 yes.
In 1996, Johnson County voters did give a resounding approval to the Bistate tax to restore Union Station, with 107,000 yes and 69,000 no. Yet, in 2004, they defeated Bistate II, which would have renovated the Truman Sports Complex and funded the arts. It went down 138,000 no to 113,000 yes.
And then there was the 2006 debacle of all time, the proposed soccer stadium and fields that was trounced with only 66,000 yes and 118,000 no.
In the meantime, both quarter-cent sales tax issues for schools, in 2002 and again in 2005, were approved by huge margins.
So, what we know is, Johnson County voters are predictable when it comes to education, parks, libraries and public safety. Just say yes.
On all other issues, we tend to say no.
The research triangle is sort of an education issue and sort of an economic development issue. The details are yet to come out. What we do not know is whether voters will view higher education with the same passion they have for K-12 and the community college. Nor do we know whether the opportunities of considerable economic development that will result will be enough to turn the usual no votes into yeses.
Based on history, it would appear the research triangle has a lot of convincing to do.
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The first will come in August, when voters will decide whether to extend an existing quarter-cent sales tax to fund a jail expansion.
The second, if county commissioners agree in May to put it on the ballot, would come in November, seeking an eighth-cent for creation of a higher education research triangle, including large expansions of KU, the KU Medical Center, and K-State into Johnson County.
A half century of voting patterns on various issues in Johnson County reveals nuggets that can help predict the outcome of the jail tax, but leaves some head scratching over the research triangle.
Johnson Countians have demonstrated time after time that they will support with their tax dollars quality of life issues. Every library and park proposal has passed by wide margins. Voters have never said no.
Ditto for jails. As far back as 1960, voters said yes by 2-1 to support a county detention home. In 1985, voters said yes by 2-1 again for a county detention center. In 1995, voters approved by 37,000 to 27,000 a quarter-cent tax for public safety, including a medium security jail, juvenile detention facilities, and community corrections facilities.
When it comes to education, almost every school bond issue, at least in the major school districts, has prevailed. And the creation of the Johnson County Community College passed in 1969 by more than a 2-1 margin.
On a potpourri of issues unrelated to education, parks, libraries and public safety, over the past several decades, voters seem to vote no, with rare exceptions.
In 1972, Johnson County voters had their say on the construction of a sports facility to house a hockey team. They said no by a margin of 54,000 against to 33,000 in favor. As a result of that defeat, Kemper Arena was constructed in Kansas City.
In 1975, voters were asked to approve a series of lakes to be built in south Johnson County that were to make up a Tomahawk Reservoir. It went down to defeat, 21,000 no to 13,000 yes.
In 1996, Johnson County voters did give a resounding approval to the Bistate tax to restore Union Station, with 107,000 yes and 69,000 no. Yet, in 2004, they defeated Bistate II, which would have renovated the Truman Sports Complex and funded the arts. It went down 138,000 no to 113,000 yes.
And then there was the 2006 debacle of all time, the proposed soccer stadium and fields that was trounced with only 66,000 yes and 118,000 no.
In the meantime, both quarter-cent sales tax issues for schools, in 2002 and again in 2005, were approved by huge margins.
So, what we know is, Johnson County voters are predictable when it comes to education, parks, libraries and public safety. Just say yes.
On all other issues, we tend to say no.
The research triangle is sort of an education issue and sort of an economic development issue. The details are yet to come out. What we do not know is whether voters will view higher education with the same passion they have for K-12 and the community college. Nor do we know whether the opportunities of considerable economic development that will result will be enough to turn the usual no votes into yeses.
Based on history, it would appear the research triangle has a lot of convincing to do.