Rival streetcar petitions headed for August ballot

Two contradictory streetcar petition initiatives are headed for Kansas City’s Aug. 8 ballot.

On Tuesday, the City Council’s Ethics and Legal Review Committee gave preliminary approval to two different citizens petition initiatives relating to Kansas City streetcars.

The measures go to the full council later this month for approval.

Committee members said they weren’t endorsing either proposal, and each one may have legal problems. But committee members believe that a recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling requires the City Council to put any petition initiative before voters, even if it’s illegal, if it meets the city charter requirement of about 1,700 valid signatures.

One of the petitions is transit activist Clay Chastain’s latest effort. It seeks two sales taxes totaling 3/8 cent  for 25 years to pay for streetcar expansion.

But the other petition, supported by streetcar opponents, would prohibit Kansas City from doing any planning or implementing of any fixed-rail expansion without a citywide vote.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 5:51 PM with the headline "Rival streetcar petitions headed for August ballot."