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Raytown aldermen direct staff to draft ballot language for quarter-cent parks/stormwater sales tax
Summary
After a lengthy presentation on deferred maintenance and stormwater needs, the board instructed staff to prepare an ordinance for a quarter-cent sales tax (80% parks / 20% stormwater) with a seven-year sunset for placement on the ballot; the board did not adopt the tax at this meeting but voted to bring back ordinance language.
Raytown officials directed staff to prepare ballot language for a renewal and modification of the city's parks and stormwater sales tax, settling on a recommended option of a quarter-cent sales tax with an 80/20 split favoring parks and a seven-year sunset.
Park Director Dave Turner and Public Works Director Rob Camp laid out budget data showing maintenance shortfalls: Turner said parks personnel costs now consume roughly 61–65% of the parks budget and presented a $5.3 million list of park projects categorized by urgency. Camp told aldermen the stormwater master plan identifies approximately $20 million in needed stormwater projects and said the city has identified 102 sinkholes or potential stormwater failures that require assessment and repair.
Turner gave per-household cost context: "For every eighth of a cent, if it was only paid by Raytown residents, you're talking $16.04 a year," he said, and explained the incremental effect of a quarter-cent or three-eighths cent increase. Board discussion focused on which increment would be both sufficient for needs and politically viable; some aldermen urged the larger three-eighths cent to address the full backlog, while others recommended the more modest quarter-cent to maximize the chance of voter approval.
After extended questioning about project lists, grant opportunities and election timing, Alderman Janet Emerson moved and Alderman Bonnie Mims seconded a motion directing staff to bring an ordinance to the next meeting to place a quarter-cent sales tax (80% parks / 20% stormwater) with a seven-year sunset on the ballot. The motion passed on a roll call.
Mayor Michael McDonough and several aldermen emphasized that the sales tax is a renewal of an existing levy (the city has had an eighth-cent fund since 2003) rather than a wholly new tax and noted that higher material and labor costs since 2003 have eroded purchasing power. Supporters said renewal or modest increase is necessary to avoid further closures and continued deferred maintenance; opponents cautioned about resident resistance to taxes amid broader cost increases.
The board did not adopt the tax at this meeting; staff will return a drafted ordinance and ballot language at the next regular meeting for a formal vote.
