Kearney residents to decide Nov. 3 on Proposition P half-cent public safety sales tax

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — KSHB 41 reporter Fernanda Silva covers stories in the Northland, including Liberty. She also focuses on issues surrounding immigration. Share your story idea with Fernanda.

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Kearney residents will decide on whether to approve Proposition P on Nov. 3. The half-cent sales tax would fund public safety in the city.

I took your questions about the measure to the police department and to city leaders.

The tax, if approved, is expected to bring in about $900,000 annually, according to the city.

Two cents of a $4 coffee bought in Kearney would go to the Proposition P pot. If you spend $200 on groceries in Kearney, Proposition P would receive $1.

On Friday afternoon, we asked neighbors in Kearney what they think of the proposal. Every shopper we spoke with said they support Proposition P.

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"The police need all the support they can get," Kurt Oidtman said. "This town just keeps getting bigger every day."

Tery and Clifford Henderson said they also back the measure.

"I think the half-cent sales tax is well worth passing," Tery Henderson said. "To keep our city safe, our children safe. I feel like this is an important tax."

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Charles Glascock said the cost would not be a burden.

"For a half-cent sales tax that would go directly to the police department, I don't see a problem with it," Charles Glascock said.

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"A half cent is not going to put me in the poorhouse," Glascock said.

Belinda Nunn pointed to the department's role in the community.

"They do so much for the community," Nunn said. "We just need to have their backs all the time."

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But residents also had questions about where the money would go.

"What are they going to do with the extra money?" Glascock asked.

I took that question to the Kearney Police Department.

Sgt. Phil Lamanna said the revenue would go primarily to officer pay.

"It's mainly for funding officer recruitment and retention within the city," Sgt. Lamanna said. "Also not having to rely so heavily on overtime costs to fill our patrol levels because of our growing demand in public service and just the calls for service going up," Sgt. Phil Lamanna said.

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Kearney's current starting salary for a police officer is $55,735. Lamanna said it's hard to compete with nearby agencies offering more money, including Smithville officers with a salary of $65,000, Gladstone at $66,738 and Liberty at $70,000, according to Kearney.

"Right now, we just can't match the salaries that 10 minutes down the road in either direction are doing," Lamanna said.

The department currently has 21 officers and is budgeted for 23. Lamanna said he would like to have four officers per shift.

"Right now, we're just getting by with three," Lamanna said.

If Proposition P passes, revenue would start being collected in April 2027.

Lyle Updyke, who lives in Kearney, said salaries are a central concern.

"We're too far behind on salaries to keep good police officers here," Updyke said.

I also spoke online with people against Proposition P.

They didn't want to go on camera, but raised concerns about raising taxes in an economy with tight budgets. They questioned how the city has been managing its budget, and one asked whether the money could be used to buy Flock cameras.

I asked Lamanna that question.

"That'll be a decision made by the Board of Aldermen," he said. "But not here at the police level."

I followed up with the city. The city said Proposition P revenue can legally be used for "expenditures that improve public safety in Kearney, which could include Flock cameras."

The city also said "the City has an existing contract for that service and has no plans or need to expand its contract."

The city said many of its revenue sources are legally restricted to specific purposes, such as water and sewer operations, transportation or capital improvements, and that police compensation is an ongoing expense that must be supported year after year.

Residents said they want to make sure the money is used well.

"The only thing I would ask is it would be used efficiently," Forest Myers said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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