KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three of the Northland’s biggest school districts approved new bond issues and tax-levy transfers Tuesday during special elections across Missouri.
More than 78% of North Kansas City School District voters signed off on Question 1, a $140-million bond issue for construction and renovation of new and existing school facilities.
It also will be used to purchase new buses without an increase to the district’s debt-service tax levy, which also is changing.
NKC Schools received permission from 71% of voters to transfer $0.20 of the existing property tax levy from the debt-service tax levy to the operating tax levy, which will allow the district to keep up with rising staff salary costs and other day-to-day costs.
Park Hill School District voters also approved two questions to provide additional funding or shift funding within the district.
Question 1, which drew 74% support, authorizes $137 in general obligation bonds for building a new elementary school and renovating some existing facilities.
Question 2, which passed with nearly 66% of the vote, transfers a portion of the debt-service tax levy to the operating tax levy to help keep the district competitive from a staff salary standpoint.
Proposition B, which passed with nearly 65% of the vote, authorizes the Kearney R-1 School District to issue $44 million in bonds for a new elementary school and some building renovations at existing facilities.
Also north of the river, the Lawson R-XIV School District passed a whopping 87-cent tax levy increase to help pay for retaining and attracting teachers and staff.
The district’s tax levy will increase to $3.7407 per $100 of assessed valuation and will cost the owner of a $200,000 house roughly $330.60 more in annual property taxes.
In addition to those tax questions, Lone Jack C-6 School District voters in Jackson and Cass counties approved a tax-levy transfer, which will provide more money from the operating tax levy with a corresponding reduction in the debt-service tax levy.
The transfer will allow Lone Jack schools to use the $0.2436 per $100 of assessed property value for staff and maintenance needs as well as other operating expenses rather than strictly for repaying bonds.
Three other Cass County districts received voter approval for bond issues:
- The East Lynne District No. 40 School District passed a 24-cent debt-service tax levy increase, which will generate $500,000 from general obligation bonds for infrastructure needs at district-owned facilities;
- More than 70% of voters in the Pleasant Hill R-III School District voted yes on $10-million bond issue for district-wide infrastructure repairs, but it won’t require a tax increase;
- More than 83% of Strasburg C-3 School District voters approved a $2.2-million bond issue for infrastructure needs. It does not change the district’s debt-service tax levy.
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