By Yael T. Abouhalkah, Kansas City Star Editorial Page columnist
The campaign to pass the Johnson County sales tax for public safety has a number of problems. I will point out several over the next few days. Here's the first.
The Public Safety 1st Committee recently printed a brochure and mailed it to 50,000 households. Civic officials Larry Winn III, Bob Regnier, Fred Logan and Ron Wimmer are co-chairs of the group.
The cover of their brochure said in large letters:
"Vote YES to renew the quarter-cent Public Safety Sales Tax."
Wrong. The Aug. 5 vote is not a renewal of a tax for public safety.
In fact, about two-thirds of the current quarter-cent sales tax is being used for public education.
Cities in the county get roughly one-third of the revenue to spend however they want.
Voters approved the use of the funds for public education in 2002 and renewed that tax in 2005. It expires late this year, which is why the county wants to quickly renew it for the county's own projects.
I know Johnson County officials don't want people thinking of this as a tax increase.
I'll agree on that much. If county voters approve the sales tax on Aug. 5, their taxes won't go up.
But the county and its supporters should not try to mislead people into thinking this is a renewal of a public safety sales tax.
Next up: The $10 million hole in the Johnson County sales tax.