Proposed property tax would raise $5.3 million a year for Jackson County seniors

Jackson County voters will decide Nov. 2 whether to approve a special property tax to fund food, housing and welfare programs serving people age 60 and over.

The new tax would cost the owner of a house valued at $100,000 an additional $9.50 a year.

Fifty-five counties in Missouri already levy such a tax as outlined in state law, said Scott Burnett, chairman of the Jackson County Legislature, which approved the ballot measure on Monday.

If approved, the tax would raise about $5.3 million a year. A committee appointed by the Jackson County executive would decide which agencies would get the money.

County voters overwhelmingly approved an eighth-cent sales tax in 2016 to create a pool of money for programs benefiting children.

This story was originally published April 30, 2018 at 6:14 PM with the headline "Proposed property tax would raise $5.3 million a year for Jackson County seniors."