chertling
Lead Service Attendant
For those who may not be aware, the cities of Kansas City, MO and North Kansas City, MO voted on separate (yet inter-related) light rail sales tax questions on Tuesday. The 1/2 cent sales tax in North Kansas City and 3/8 cent sales tax in KCMO would have funded a fourteen mile light rail "Starter Line" running from Vivion Road and North Oak Trafficway in Kansas City, south into and through the city of North Kansas City, Downtown Kansas City, Crown Center and the Country Club Plaza before reaching its southern terminus at Bruce R. Watkins Parkway (US 71) and 63rd street.
As a member of the NKC Rail campaign organization and the NKC City Council, I am pleased to share that the sales tax question in North Kansas City passed, with 56% voting in favor. However, the Kansas City Missouri sales tax question failed, with 56% voting against.
North Kansas City's sales tax was never intended to provide full funding to build and operate the two mile segment of light rail that was planned for the city. The cost to build and operate the portion of the line within NKC's city limits was to be shared by NKC and its much larger neighbor Kansas City, MO. The sad truth is that we now have to return to square one. The NKC Light Rail sales tax will not take effect.
There are plans in the works, spearheaded by KCMO's Mayor Funkhouser, to bring a true regional light rail plan to voters sometime in the next few years.
As a member of the NKC Rail campaign organization and the NKC City Council, I am pleased to share that the sales tax question in North Kansas City passed, with 56% voting in favor. However, the Kansas City Missouri sales tax question failed, with 56% voting against.
North Kansas City's sales tax was never intended to provide full funding to build and operate the two mile segment of light rail that was planned for the city. The cost to build and operate the portion of the line within NKC's city limits was to be shared by NKC and its much larger neighbor Kansas City, MO. The sad truth is that we now have to return to square one. The NKC Light Rail sales tax will not take effect.
There are plans in the works, spearheaded by KCMO's Mayor Funkhouser, to bring a true regional light rail plan to voters sometime in the next few years.