Two candidates are running for mayor in Platte City. David Sharp and Tony Paolillo will appear on the ballot in the upcoming June 2 election. Longtime mayor Frank Offutt did not file for re-election.
Sharp, 41, from Platte County is single and has an 8-year-old son who attends school in Platte City. He owned KCI Collision Center in Platte City and a small construction company since 2001.
Tony Paolillo
”I am a lifelong Platte County resident with leadership experience starting early in school and continuing a lifetime,” Sharp said. “Currently, I am president of the Platte City Chamber of Commerce, secretary of Platte City Planning and Zoning, Parks subcommittee member, and member of some other small boards. I was class president and alumni of Leadership Northland. I have invested a lot of time attending meetings and speaking with citizens of Platte City, trying to help address the needs of the community. As well I have attended Missouri Municipal League conferences and training to continue my education and enhance my ability to bring innovative ideas to the committees and boards I sit on.”
Sharp said some members of the community asked him to run for office when Offutt announced he was going to retire.
David Sharp
“I was very humbled by this and decided to answer the call to community service,” Sharp said. ”I am a good choice for the position because I am trustworthy, honest, ethical, compassionate and have a strong understanding of the community’s needs through the current positions I hold.”
As far as problems and issues facing the city now and in the future, Sharp said the most important issue the city needs to address is flat revenues since Platte City has not had much increase in its revenue in the last five years. While the city has done a nice job of maintaining the same level of services as inflation increases, and revenues stay the same.
”Unfortunately, that cannot go on forever,” Sharp said.
He said he understands how vital economic development is to the city and encourages new ideas while understanding and educating himself on what makes the local economy tick. He will collaborate with the board of aldermen on these issues and develop team strategies on ways to sustain the city.
”I want to keep the city the same wonderful, safe place we all know as home and continue to encourage economic development and support the needs of the community,” Sharp said.
Sharp would also like to see some changes which would include more people getting involved with local government and casting their votes. He would have an open-door policy and encourage citizens to get involved and participate in city meetings.
Paolillo, 46, is from St. Joseph. He and his wife have lived in Platte City for 20 years and they consider it their hometown. They have been married for 22 years.
He was the store manager of a high-volume box store for seven years. He managed more than 150 people. Since 2003 he has owned and operated a deck and fence construction company.
“I have served Platte City as an alderman for 12 years, 11 of which I have been elected by the board of aldermen as board president/mayor pro tem,” Paolillo said. “As well, I have been an appointed trustee and secretary to the Platte County Regional Sewer District and have been a shareholder and board member of the Platte County Fair Association.”
He is running for mayor to continue the growth of Platte City, concentrating on economic development while continuing to provide superior city services and keep his small town values in mind.
He believes he would be a good choice for the position because he has a good working relationship with the board of aldermen and senior city staff and the knowledge of Platte City’s future plans.
“My 12 years of service as alderman have given me experience and exceptional knowledge of how city government runs and operates,” Paolillo said.
As far as problems and issues facing the city now and in the future, the unknown economic impact of COVID-19 is the most challenging issue he sees in the near future.
”I have the experience of leading during an economic downturn that challenged the city in 2008-2009,” Paolillo said. “We were able to maintain excellent city services and still plan for the future needs without putting the burden on the taxpayers of Platte City.”
He said he will use his past experience prioritizing critical services to ensure residents are safe and provided the quality of services they expect.
His goals remain the same as when he was first elected to the board in 2008: to provide leadership, to encourage Platte City’s economic growth, to maintain the small town values and to continue to provide superior city services.
PLATTE CITY USE TAX
Local voters will also have the opportunity to vote on Tuesday for, or against the use tax.
Platte City Administrator DJ Gehrt has addressed the Platte City Board of Aldermen on the need for the tax since the city’s general fund has been trending downward in the last five years.
If the downward trend continues, providing services to community members, which they have come to count on, may be diminished. Use taxes are being adopted in towns and cities around the state to provide a way to keep funds from falling as more and more people shop online.
One of the purposes of the use tax is to protect local, in-state retailers against unfair competition from sellers out of state who aren’t required to collect tax.
The use tax also ensures that all of a state’s residents help to fund local and state programs and services no matter where they shop. People either pay the sales tax or the use tax, but not both.
The fund pays for the police department, city staff and parks and recreation.
Platte City’s general fund was $2,493,632 in 2015 and dropped to $2,343,254 in 2019.
“It’s becoming increasingly difficult to run the police department, the street department and parks department on less money that we made five years ago and achieve the same level of service,” Gehrt said. “So far I think we’ve done a good job of doing it but it’s getting tougher and tougher and sooner or later we will have to look at different ways of doing business, but then will we be able to provide the same level of service?”