Johnson County voters approve $186M for school construction and safety
Johnson County voters on Tuesday approved a $186 million bond issue for Blue Valley schools that will help fund security improvements, classroom additions and a new elementary school.
More than 26,200, or 30%, of voters in the district cast mail-in ballots in the bond referendum, with 73.8% in favor of the new spending, according to unofficial results from the Johnson County Election Office.
“It was another outstanding show of support from our community for this bond election. We are blessed to live in a community that strongly supports public education and the Blue Valley school district,” said Mike Slagle, deputy superintendent.
Also on Tuesday, 79.6% of voters in Merriam renewed the city’s quarter-cent sales tax, which will help fund street construction, bridge repairs and other infrastructure work. More than 2,000, or 28%, of registered voters cast ballots in Merriam.
Blue Valley bond
Ahead of Tuesday’s referendum, incoming superintendent Tonya Merrigan said the $186 million in bonds would help the school district improve aging facilities and add classrooms to keep up with growing enrollment.
The district plans to spend $24 million on the construction of a new elementary school in the expanding southwest portion of the district, at 182nd Terrace and Long Street, west of Quivira Road in Overland Park. It also will update schools by adding new technology and career and technical programs.
And the new money will allow the district to build a $7 million addition at Blue Valley High School with new classrooms.
Another major piece of the bond issue, Merrigan said, is the funding of school security features. More than $11 million will go toward safety improvements at all schools, including new locks on classroom doors.
“We identified several needs across the district, related to facilities, safety and technology,” Slagle said.
Merrigan said the bond issue will not result in a tax increase for residents in the district.
Merriam sales tax
Merriam voters renewed the city’s quarter-cent sales tax, which will fund infrastructure and capital improvement projects through 2030.
Since 2011, the city has collected more than $15 million in revenue from the tax, which funded improvements to Johnson Drive and Antioch Road, sewer projects and more, city leaders said. By the end of this year, the city estimates total revenue collected from the tax will be $17.3 million.
This coming decade, city leaders expect the sales tax to continue funding road and sidewalk improvements, bridge repairs and drainage projects. Among the upcoming plans are improvements to Merriam Drive, from Johnson Drive to Shawnee Mission Parkway.
Merriam residents first approved this sales tax in 2000 and have since voted twice to renew it.
The city’s overall sales tax rate will remain the same at 9.475%.
This story was originally published January 29, 2020 at 1:00 PM.
