Commissioners announced this week their intent to place a reduced roads sales tax on the November election ballot.
The three-eighths-cent sales tax was twice approved by voters, running for the past 20 years. The tax expires at the end of the year, and talks about extending it for another term have been ongoing for some time. At the Monday, Aug. 1 administrative session, commissioners announced that after talks with the Platte County Economic Development Council, municipalities and other stakeholders, that the tax renewal proposal will move forward at a quarter cent.
The proposal will be on the Monday, Aug. 22 meeting agenda for discussion and possible approval.
Presiding commissioner Ron Schieber said the decrease will not negatively impact the taxing jurisdictions that currently benefit from the tax. They may even receive more money, he said. The county itself will collect less due to reduced need. Over the past 20 years, nearly every bridge in need of an update has already been replaced.
“Twenty years ago the county had a large number of bridges that needed to be replaced,” said district commissioner Joe Vanover. “It took a huge amount of money over many years to get that done. Now that we are down to the last few bridges, we can reduce the amount of money collected.”
The current proposed ballot language reads, “Shall the County of Platte renew the countywide sales tax for the use of transportation-related projects, including, but not limited to, roads, bridges, drainage structures, and sidewalks, at the rate of one fourth of one percent for a period of ten years from the date on which such tax will expire?”
Vanover said that since 2013, approximately 36% of funds collected from the tax were set aside for bridge replacements and major capital projects. The current commission proposal calls for 10% of revenue to be allocated to a county-wide capital projects reserve fund. The remaining funds would be split between cities and unincorporated areas based on population levels shown in the 2020 census and current road miles.
District commissioner Dagmar Wood said the configuration will allow future commissioners flexibility to adjust revenues as transportation needs change.
Wood and Schieber thanked Parkville resident Gordon Cook for his consulting work to estimate budget effects of various tax scenarios.
Commissioners are accepting public comments via email prior to the Aug. 22 meeting at roadssalestax@co.platte.mo.us.
The Platte County Economic Development Council led the effort to collect information on planned road and bridge work from cities and road districts.
EDC member Aaron Schmidt told the commission last month that the EDC went to the majority of the cities and asked about their road needs.
“We came up with ranking criteria: safety, economic development, traffic volumes, ability to leverage funds and the condition of the roadway,” Schmidt said.
The EDC provided the commission with a list of the road and bridge needs. The list of needs totaled nearly $250 million.
Also at the meeting, the commissioners reappointed Platte City mayor Tony Paolillo to the Platte County Regional Sewer District until 2026.