Spend KC's sales tax windfall on better roads
Yael T. AbouhalkahAt 1 p.m. today Mayor Sly James is scheduled to make KC taxpayers happy and to take credit for doing something good for the city’s future: improving its roads.
Call it a two-fer for the mayor.
A little background:
After KC voters approved a new sales tax for parks and roads on Aug. 7, I discovered that the tax would result in a multimillion-dollar windfall for the city. This money wasn’t discussed on the campaign trail, so city officials - at least publicly - had not talked about how to use it.
Subsequently, I asked City Manager Troy Schulte and City Council member Russ Johnson what would happen to the windfall, which amounted to about $4 million after other spending priorities were taken care of from the new sales tax.
Better road maintenance was the answer from both men.
Today, at a press conference with James, Schulte, Johnson and Public Works Director Sherri McIntyre, I expect them to announce how the money would be used to better maintain the city’s roads.
As the city’s press announcement says, “Kansas City will have a unique opportunity.” Later this week, James and Johnson “will introduce an ordinance this Thursday that will anticipate funding accrued as a result of the new parks sales tax and allocate it to begin improving Kansas City immediately.”
Paving more roads this fall would fit that bill.
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