Police Funding Tax Returns to Voters in November

Kearney voters will once again decide whether to approve a half-cent sales tax dedicated to supporting the city’s police department.

The measure, known as Prop P, is scheduled to appear on the Nov. 3 ballot. If approved, the local public safety tax would help fund police staffing, competitive wages, overtime and additional safety needs for the Kearney Police Department. A similar initiative fell short by just 44 votes last year.

For shoppers, the increase would amount to 5 cents on a $10 purchase or 50 cents on a $100 purchase.

City officials say the need for additional funding remains unchanged since the proposal was last put before voters in 2024.

“Our needs haven’t decreased, just like every other city’s needs; expenses continue to go up,” said Colleen Doctorian, a communications representative for the city of Kearney.

Doctorian said revenue from the proposed tax would be directed toward officer pay and department safety, two areas city leaders have identified as priorities.

Retention is also a major reason the city is bringing the question back to voters. Doctorian said competitive salaries are necessary to keep experienced officers in Kearney and maintain public safety services.

“It is very important in order to retain officers we have to have funding to fund salaries and keep our officers safe,” Doctorian said.

Among voters, opinions on Prop P remain mixed. Opponents site inflation and the rising cost of everyday expenses as reasons why they are opposing the measure.

Kearney residents will go to the polls on November 3 to vote on Prop P.

KPGZ News – Brian Watts contributed to this story.

Sales Tax Holiday Helps Shoppers Save

Missouri’s annual back-to-school sales tax holiday begins at 12:01 am on Friday, August 2, and runs through midnight on Sunday, August 4. During this time, certain back-to-school purchases such as school supplies, computers, clothing and other qualifying items as defined by statute are exempt from state sales tax.

During the sales tax holiday, state sales tax will not be charged on the following items:

Clothing that does not have a taxable value of more than $100. Eligible clothing items include any article of apparel intended to be worn on or about the body, including footwear and disposable diapers for infants or adults. Cloth and other material used to make school uniforms or other school clothing are also included. Not included are watches, watchbands, jewelry, handbags, handkerchiefs, umbrellas, scarves, ties, headbands, or belt buckles.

School supplies, not exceeding $50 per purchase, that are used in a standard classroom for educational purposes. School supplies include, but are not limited to, textbooks, notebooks, paper, writing instruments, crayons, art supplies, rulers, book bags, backpacks, chalk, maps, globes, handheld calculators, graphing calculators that do not have a taxable value of more than $150, and computer software that does not have a taxable value of more than $350. Not included are watches, radios, CD players, headphones, sporting equipment, portable or desktop telephones, copiers or other office equipment, furniture, or fixtures; and

Personal computers that do not cost more than $1,500 and computer peripheral devices that do not cost more than $1,500. A personal computer can be a laptop, desktop, or tower computer system which consists of a central processing unit, random access memory, a storage drive, a display monitor, and a keyboard. Peripheral devices include items such as a disk drive, memory module, compact disk drive, daughterboard, digitizer, microphone, modem, motherboard, mouse, multimedia speaker, printer, scanner, single-user hardware, single-user operating system, soundcard, or video card.

Anyone who makes a qualified purchase may participate in the holiday. You do not have to be a Missouri resident or student to participate and save.

KPGZ News - Brian Watts contributed to this story.