KANSAS CITY, MO. — The American Heart Association of Greater Kansas City is the newest voice backing outgoing Mayor Sly James' proposed pre-K sales tax proposal.
Senior Vice President of Health Strategies with the American Heart Association Jeff Willett explained that the support is part of the organization's commitment to promoting healthy communities.
Willett said children who learn to read at an early age are healthier and have longer life expectancy.
"It is not right and it's not fair that some children are destined to not have those opportunities simply because of where they're born, simply because of the lack of an opportunity, the lack of family income to afford what is currently a very expensive pre-K program and don't have access to a quality program," Willett said.
There is an even longer list of organizations that oppose the pre-K tax, a 3/8-cent sales tax hike that would generate $28 million annually. The Cooperating School Districts of Greater Kansas City, a conglomeration of 14 school districts that serve Kansas City, Missouri;, the Urban League of Greater Kansas City; Freedom Inc.; and the NAACP of Kansas City are all on record against the tax.
While those groups agree that more 4-year-olds would benefit from a robust pre-K program, there is disagreement on how the a city-funded program should be structured and paid for.
The proposal also calls for a five-member committee to decide how the money will be spent, including three members who would be appointed by the mayor. Area school districts would like to have more control in determining how the money will be spent.
Meanwhile, the Urban League of Greater Kansas City opposes the tax increase, because it would unfairly burden the poor.
Voters in Kansas City will decide the issue at the polls April 2.
