City manager presents $197 million general‑obligation bond package and tax impact ahead of April 8 vote

Zack Walker, city manager for the City of Independence, presented an overview of a three‑question general obligation (GO) bond proposal that will appear on the April 8 ballot if approved by the council. Walker described the proposals, explained how GO bonds function under Missouri law and detailed estimated costs, project lists and the tax impact if voters approve all three questions in full.

Walker said the three questions total $197,000,000: a public‑safety question ($130,000,000) that includes $123,000,000 for a new justice center, $4,000,000 to address the current police station site and $3,000,000 for the animal shelter; an infrastructure question ($55,000,000) that includes $30,000,000 for street reconstruction/overlay, $10,000,000 for sidewalks targeted to school corridors, and $15,000,000 for bridge repair or replacement; and a facilities question ($12,000,000) with $7,000,000 for historic sites (Truman Memorial Building, Vail Mansion, Bingham‑Wagner Estate) and $5,000,000 for the athletic complex.

Why it matters: Walker said the city faces roughly $430,000,000 in deferred maintenance across streets and other capital assets, maintains…