Kansas City area residents will make crucial decisions Tuesday on bus funding, smoke-free laws, school boards and city positions.

Below are The Star’s analyses and recommendations on various election issues. These are followed by the names of individuals we have endorsed for public office.

KANSAS CITY

The city’s bus system needs the continued funding contained in Question 1, which would extend a three-eighths-cent sales tax for 15 years.

Voters first approved the tax in 2003, and the Area Transportation Authority has spent the funds wisely to beef up service.

Buses provide vital transportation, especially for low-income residents.

A reasonable level of bus service is essential, and will be even more so if light-rail lines are built in the future.

Voters also ought to approve Question 2, which would allow the city to collect an annual fee of $1,000 from payday loan businesses to cover the costs of inspecting them. City Hall appropriately wants to make sure businesses that charge high-interest loans to customers follow local rules governing the industry.

Thanks to a citizens initiative, Question 3 gives voters the opportunity to approve a strong smoke-free ordinance. It would prohibit smoking in public places, including all restaurants and all bars.

It would be far better than the city’s current ordinance, which allows smoking in bars and, after 9 p.m., in many restaurants.

SCHOOL QUESTIONS

 Lee’s Summit School District: Voters should approve two issues that will help the district handle its fast-growing student numbers.

Question 1 would allow the district to issue up to $54 million in bonds to build additions to schools and a new elementary school.

Question 2 would allow the district to continue keeping a portion of the property taxes that were rolled back when Missouri voters approved a 1-cent sales tax for schools in the early 1980s.

Neither ballot question would result in a tax increase.

 Liberty District: Officials have developed a solid plan to improve school facilities to handle the new children who are flocking to the district.

The district wants to issue up to $58 million in bonds. Much of the money would help build a second high school, a new elementary school and a larger preschool facility. The bonds would not require a tax increase.

 Hickman Mills School District: The district deserves the money to upgrade its aging buildings and retain good teachers.

Question 1 would allow the district to issue up to $15 million in bonds to build a new early-childhood center and enhance elementary school libraries/media centers. The bonds would not require a tax increase.

Question 2 would increase the district’s property tax levy by 60 cents to keep staff salaries competitive.

 Raytown School District: Voters ought to support the 89-cent increase in the property tax levy on Tuesday’s ballot to improve pay for teachers. Raytown’s levy is among the lowest in the metropolitan area.

CITY ELECTIONS

 Independence
City Council
District 1 — Marcie Gragg
District 2 — Willard Swoffer
District 3 — Myron Paris
District 4 — James Page

 Lee’s Summit
City Council
District 1 — Jim Hallam
District 2 — Allan Gray II
District 3 — Robert Glaser
District 4 — Robert Thane (Bob) Johnson

 Blue Springs
Mayor — Carson Ross

SCHOOL BOARDS

 Kansas City
Arthur Benson, write-in candidate

 Hickman Mills
David R. Buie has resigned from the school board and withdrew from his race for re-election.

In his place, we endorse Debbie Aiman, who has teaching experience and wants to work to retain good teachers.

The two previously endorsed candidates for the Hickman Mills board are Bonnaye Mims and Luther A. Chandler.

 Lee’s Summit
Jeff Tindle, Jon Plaas and Jack Wiley

 North Kansas City
Jan Kauk and Philip Holloway

 Raytown
Rick Moore, Cathy Mack and Terry E. Landers

 Metropolitan Community College Board of Trustees
David Disney