KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Voters in Johnson County will be asked whether to extend a public safety sales tax in the upcoming November election.
Originally approved by voters in 2016, the 1/4-cent public safety sales tax has been used to help the county and municipalities fund public safety projects, Med-Act 911 services, the Sheriff’s office, mental health crisis intervention, emergency preparedness and the criminal justice system.
The original sales tax was set to expire after 10 years, requiring voters to approve any extension.
The Johnson County Board of Commissioners voted Thursday to put the extension of the sales tax on November’s ballot.
The sales tax currently generates $54 million annually. The county gets $35 million, with the remaining $19.7 million split among municipalities across the counties.
County staff say demand for public safety services, increased costs for providing services and an increasingly uncertain funding situation from state and federal partners are reasons to put the tax extension on the ballot.
“Johnson County has experienced significant population growth over the past 15 years, with an especially rapid increase in residents aged 65 and older,” County Commission Chairman Mike Kelly said in a release Thursday.
Kelly said the demographic shift has also placed increased demand on public safety services.
“Renewing an existing public safety sales tax allows us to continue funding essential services without increasing the property tax burden on residents,” Kelly said.
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