Answering your questions about Kansas City’s measures on the August primary

KSHB 41 reporter Charlie Keegan covers politics in Kansas, Missouri and at the local level. A viewer reached out to him specifically asking he break down the five ballot questions from Kansas City. Share your story idea with Charlie.

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When voters go to the polls on Aug. 4, they will see five questions from Kansas City asking for a total of $1.7 billion in bonds for projects from affordable housing to sewer infrastructure.

Rochelle Handley reached out to KSHB 41 News local politics reporter Charlie Keegan to get clarification on what each question means.

“I just want a ballot that says if you vote ‘yes,’ it does this, if you vote ‘no,’ it does that,” Handley said.

Charlie Keegan/KSHB

Keegan took Handley’s questions directly to Mayor Quinton Lucas, who wants voters to choose "yes" on all five ballot measures.

Ballot question #1: A "yes" vote allows the city to seek a $100 million bond to pay for affordable housing projects.

Since 2018, the city’s Housing Trust Fund has received $61 million and created roughly 3,000 affordable housing units.

A bond is like a loan. In each case, the city will use existing tax revenues to pay off the bond. They will not create new taxes.

Handley wanted to know what happens if the city defaults on bond payments.

“We’re not a defaulting jurisdiction,” Lucas replied confidently, adding the city’s credit rating could be impacted by a default.

Charlie Keegan/KSHB

Ballot question #2: A "yes" vote allows the city to seek a $100 million bond to refurbish city-owned buildings.

City Hall, Municipal Auditorium, the Music Hall, and the city’s convention center would all receive improvements with the passage of this measure.

“I don’t want us to abandon our history at Municipal Auditorium,” Lucas said.

Ballot question #3: A "yes" vote renews a 1/8th-cent sales tax to fund the Central City Economic Development sales tax.

Since its inception in 2017, the tax has generated about $88 million to help fund 58 projects within a district bordered by 9th Street to the north, Gregory to the south, Indiana Avenue to the east and The Paseo to the west.

Handley wanted to know how investing in that area improves the city as a whole.

“This is the most transformative urban investment in an American city right now,” Lucas said. “The way we make things better, the way we get people new jobs, is by driving development in the core of the city.”

Ballot questions #4 and #5: A "yes" vote allows the city to acquire two bonds of $750 million apiece to pay for infrastructure for water and sewer pipes.

Lucas says the water department has already planned to stagger increases to water bills in the years ahead unrelated to this bond. He said if voters deny the questions, water bills will undoubtedly increase to cover costs of the repairs.

Handley remembers voting on a similar question in 2022. She asked why the city is asking for another water bond.

“This is work that unfortunately does not end,” Lucas explained. “Kansas City has some very old sewers - some brick, some wooden - that we continue to replace for better infrastructure long-term. That’s why we’re doing the work. That’s why we’re doing this bond. You might see one year from now too, just from the scale of work.”

More information about the ballot questions is available on the city’s website. You can read the ballot language on the election board's website.

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