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County
pushes tax for roads
by Ivan
Foley
Landmark editor
Would a 3/8 cent countywide sales tax
for roads be accepted favorably by the public?
That's the question Platte County Commissioners are in
the process of exploring as they look for a solution to
the county's rural road situation.
Commissioners have been meeting with mayors
around the county, presenting two options. The proposal
they're focusing on the most is the 3/8 cent sales tax
option, though a property tax increase has also been kicked
around.
"Everybody has been positive about
the process," Steve Wegner, second district county
commissioner, said last week after meeting with area mayors
at the Weston City Hall.
"Nobody has taken a negative shot
at the process. We've asked the mayors to go back and
visit with their board members and at least begin the
process" of determining their level of support, he
said.
Under the sales tax option being discussed,
the 3/8 cent tax would raise $65.6 million over a 10 year
period. The tax would have a sunset clause after 10 years.
As an enticement to cities, municipalities
would get half of the revenue generated within their boundaries.
Wegner says the cities would be required
to develop a list of designated improvements before voters
go to the polls.
Wegner indicated the county would monitor
the cities use of the money and would have the right to
cut off funding if a city spent the money in a way not
acceptable to the county.
"It's an accountability issue. We
want to be accountable for the money," he said, pointing
out the credibility problems encountered by the Missouri
Department of Transportation (MoDOT) led to the defeat
of the statewide Proposition B fuel/sales tax for roads
earlier this year.
The county has developed its own list
of road improvements and along with it a transportation
plan that includes making developers improve arterial
roads near developments.
Included on the list are the ideas of
putting hard surface on heavily traveled roads and fixing
more than 30 bridges that are deemed deficient or obsolete
in the county.
Roads within the Weston, Farley and the
Platte County Common Road Districts also would get an
additional $2,500 per mile for maintenance for the 10
years. The county commission administers the Platte County
Common district.
A county transportation task force will
meet in November, Wegner said. By that time, the county
will have a better gauge on reaction to the idea, including
having a verbal response from Kansas City Mayor Kay Barnes.
Wegner estimated that the City of Kansas
City would get $20 million over the 10 years of the county
tax. The county would require that Kansas City's share
of the money be spent within Platte County.
If the proposal is met favorably throughout
the planning process, the issue will be placed on the
ballot sometime next year, he indicated.
"The voters basically are the ones
who are going to be making the decision," Wegner
said.
MONEY FOR CITIES
Following are the approximate amounts each city would
get over the life of a 10-year, 3/8 cent sales tax for
roads:
Camden Point: $300,000.
Dearborn: $328,000.
Edgerton: $330,000.
Farley: $140,265.
Ferrelview: $368,000.
Houston Lake: $176,000.
Iatan: $33,500
Kansas City: $21.5 million.
Northmoor: $247,000.
Platte City: $2.4 million.
Platte Woods: $294,000.
Parkville: $2.5 million.
Riverside: $1.8 million.
Ridgely: $39,721.
Tracy: $132,197.
Weatherby Lake: $1.1 million.
Weston: $1 million.
TARGETED ROADS
Roads targeted for improvement by the county include:
MARTIN ROAD, 1.5 miles from Skyview to the county line,
improve surface from gravel to chip and seal.
SHARP STATION, 2.9 miles from Elm Grove to Interurban,
from gravel to chip and seal.
ELM GROVE ROAD, 4.8 miles from I-29 to Route E, from gravel
to asphalt.
EAST RIDGELY ROAD, 1.5 miles from Ridgely to county line,
from gravel to asphalt.
FOX ROAD, 1.2 miles from Hwy. 45 to Jones-Meyer Road,
asphalt.
JONES-MEYER ROAD, 2.4 miles from Hwy. 45 to Route N, asphalt.
HILLSBORO ROAD, 2 mile stretch from Jones-Meyer to Farley-Hampton,
chip and seal.
HILLSBORO ROAD, 2 mile stretch from Farley-Hampton to
Route N, chip/seal.
BAKER ROAD, 3.9 mile stretch from Farley-Hampton to Hwy.
N, chip/seal.
FARLEY-HAMPTON ROAD, Hwy. 45 to Route N, 4 miles, asphalt.
COUNTY ROAD DISTRICT: The county common road district
would get $2,500 per mile increased maintenance.
NORTH FARLEY: 5.8 mile stretch from Hwy. 92 to Farley
city limits, chip/seal.
HUMPHREY'S: 1.7 mile stretch from N Farley to Hwy. 45,
asphalt.
FARLEY ROAD DISTRICT: $2,500 per mile increased maintenance.
RUNNING HORSE: 2 mile stretch from 120th St. to 136th
St., improve 2 lane to 3 lane.
NORTHWEST 136TH STREET: 3.5 mile stretch, improve from
2 lane to 3 lane.
WOODRUFF: 3 mile stretch from Hwy. 371 to Route V, chip
and seal.
DYE STORE: .2 mile stretch from Countryside to Hwy. 45,
chip/seal.
WESTON ROAD DISTRICT: $2,500 per mile increased maintenance.
UNION CHAPEL: 1.1 mile stretch from Hwy. 45 to River Road,
improve 2 lane to 3 lane.
ALL BRIDGES: All bridges would be improved or replaced.
COLLECTOR A: Childress Road to Crooked Road, construct
asphalt.
COLLECTOR B: .7 mile stretch from Crooked Road to Hwy.
9, construct asphalt.
COLLECTOR C: 1.1 mile stretch from Crooked Road to River
Road, construct asphalt."
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