KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers eastern Jackson County, including Blue Springs and Independence. Share your story idea with Claire.
Voters in the Southern Jackson County Fire Protection District will see a sales tax question on the ballot on April 8.
The SJCFPD covers fire services from Ligget Road in Blue Springs south to the Jackson/Cass County lines, a total of six cities. Fire Chief Bill Large said the district is growing in the southernmost portion, and the department wants to build a new station at US-50 Highway and Smart Road. The issue is, Chief Large said, that it doesn't have the money to staff a new building.
"We have money secured to open station four, but we need money to put personnel in it. We believe the half cent sales tax, we have control of that just based on people going in and out of businesses, and that will help offset the lost revenue that we have until this Jackson County assessment has settled, and we know exactly how much money we can budget," said Chief Large.
Chief Large said voters will be asked to approve a half-cent sales tax for the district. It would apply only to in-person purchases. It would not be tacked on to online shopping purchases or at the gas pump. Chief Large then said half of the money collected would be returned to taxpayers by lowering the tax levy.
In Missouri, polls open at 6:00 AM and close at 7:00 PM. A sample ballot for Jackson County voters outside of Kansas City city limits can be viewed here.
