MCC Tax Levy on the April Ballot

A question on the April 6 ballot could be good for prospective community college students, but it would bring a tax increase to Kearney School District residents, among others if approved.

Tax increase information was not included in the ballot language voters will be seeing on April 6

Metropolitan Community College has placed a question on the April 6 ballot that sounds like a great deal for students who wish to attend the school. It is a measure that would annex the Kearney School District into their in-district tuition schedule, saving students approximately $91 per credit hour.

Despite the tuition decrease for the students who attend the community college, all residents of the school district will be seeing an increase to their assessed property taxes. Unfortunately, the tax increase information was not included in the ballot language voters will be seeing on April 6.

The language appearing on the ballot reads: “For the purpose of providing greater affordable access to quality higher education by providing in-district tuition rates for residents within the Kearney R-1 School District, shall the Kearney R-1 School District be attached to The Junior College District of Metropolitan Kansas City, Missouri, effective the 22nd day of April 2021?”

The Metropolitan Community College resolution states that it will levy an additional $0.2128 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to residents of that school district. For passage, the question only requires simple majority.

In a March 11 article, the Platte County Landmark newspaper explains the increase this way: “The average market value of a single family home in Platte County is around $282,000. Based on that value, the MCC tax would cost the owner of an average market value home $114.02 per year.”

The Platte County Board of Elections confirmed with the Landmark that per state statute, the Metropolitan Community College has the authority to ask the ballot question, gives guidance on how it should be asked, and is not required to place tax information in the ballot question. In other words, the college can make the ballot question sound wonderful, and not have to tell voters it will raise their taxes.

When asked about the ballot question, the Kearney School District responded with a statement similar to other districts: “KSD had nothing to do with placing this issue on the ballot. All of the revenue generated through MCC’s tax levy will go to MCC, not KSD. KSD does not support or oppose the issue.”

The Kearney School District is not the only school district where the question appears on the ballot. Other districts with the April 6 ballot question are: Platte County, Smithville, Liberty, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, Harrisonville, and Raymore-Peculiar.

The Platte County Landmark added an important note in its article about the tax levy ballot measure: “Each school district vote is separate from the others. The “attachment” to MCC and the accompanying tax levy will go into effect in each school district where it is approved by voters and will not go into effect where it is not approved by voters.”

The Metropolitan Community College resolution to lower the in the in-district tuition schedule for certain districts and apply a tax levy to residents in the school district boundaries can be read here.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story