Kansas City council cancels February bond issue election over cost, turnout concerns
.jpg "Kansas City City Hall, located at 414 E. 12th St. in downtown Kansas City.")
City Council voted unanimously on Wednesday (with four members absent) to axe Kansas City’s February election on a bond issue.
The election would have been the first such election in a decade.
The only issue on the ballot, which called for voters to approve $750 million in bonds to improve the sewer system, has been delayed to April due to concerns about voter turnout and cost.
Low voter turnout likely, high cost
A letter submitted to council members earlier this month by the Kansas City Election Board asked city leaders to reconsider the February election.
“It is our privilege and our duty to serve the voters of Kansas City by providing the best possible services and conducting efficient, fair, honest, and impartial elections at a minimum cost to the electorate,” the board wrote in the letter.
The last February election was a presidential preference primary vote in 2012, where 6% of voters came out. Prior to that, the last February election that was not for president or a municipal position happened in 1998. “Voter turnout may be depressed as this is not a usual month in which elections take place,” the board wrote.
Options were also limited for polling places, the board said, with schools in session and children attending in-person.
Holding the February election would cost Kansas City about $600,000, compared to the $300,000 price tag having the issue moved to the April ballot.
The board also pointed to concerns over COVID-19, with fewer than 50% of Kansas Citians fully vaccinated and the board’s inability to enforce masking of voters. Kansas City restricted its mask mandate to only include schools last week.
Among the board’s other concerns listed in the letter: flu season, inclement weather, poll worker shortages and rolling blackouts.
While there were initial concerns over additional costs to taxpayers, Councilwoman Ryana Parks-Shaw, District 5, said the directors of the finance and water departments looked at the water department’s position and determined there would be no additional cost to voters.
What is the bond issue?
The sanitary sewer revenue bonds would allow the water department to rehabilitate, improve and extend Kansas City’s sewer system, as well as to continue to comply with requirements at the federal, state and judicial levels.
The process used — revenue bond financing — costs the least to finance projects that benefit current and future Kansas Citians. It also spreads out costs, stabilizing rate increases. But it requires voter approval.
In August 2012, 82% of Kansas City voters (with a turnout of 17%) approved issuing $500 million in wastewater revenue bonds. Those funds have been exhausted.
When this measure first came before council, it asked for $1 billion in bond issuances over nine years and would have needed approval in August to make it on the November ballot. It was delayed until September, when the council eventually approved the $750 million figure.
Here’s what the ballot will say.
“Shall the City of Kansas City, Missouri, issue sanitary sewer revenue bonds in the principal amount of $750,000,000.00 for the purpose of rehabilitating, expanding and improving of the City’s sanitary sewer system, including acquiring necessary land and rights of way, in order to provide for its continuing operation and to maintain compliance with federal, state and judicial requirements, with the principal of and interest on said revenue bonds to be payable solely from the revenues derived by the City from the operation of its sanitary sewer system, including all future rehabilitations, improvements and expansions thereto?”
Voters can mark yes or no during the April 5 general municipal election.
