Kansas City voters have again renewed the 1 percent earnings tax.
Unofficial results had the earnings tax passing with 77 percent of the vote. All precincts in Clay, Jackson and Platte counties were reporting as of 10 p.m. Tuesday.
“By the vote tonight, the business community and the citizens have said the quality of life in this city is what we want it to be, and we want to keep making it stronger,” said Mayor Sly James at a watch party in the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce Board Room at Union Station.
James had warned drastic cuts to police and fire would be necessary if the city lost the $230 million revenue stream, or about 40 percent of the general fund.
But voters handed earnings tax proponents an easy victory.
“We will see challenges to this again, and that’s fine,” James said. “We will do what we have to do to maintain our autonomy.”
Earlier this year lawmakers in Jefferson City threatened to eliminate Kansas City’s earnings tax. Their efforts in recent months have focused on St. Louis, where billionaire Rex Sinquefield is funding an anti-earnings tax campaign. State law already requires a renewal vote every five years.
“Every five years sending this message is five years too quick,” Chamber President Joe Reardon said. “This community is saying with a resounding yes that we understand the value of the earnings tax.”
The mayor has said he thinks a vote every 10 years would be more appropriate.
Elle Moxley is a reporter for KCUR. You can reach her on Twitter @ellemoxley.
