Voters pass Independence public safety sales tax and decide other local funding measures

Voters in Independence on Tuesday approved a one-eighth-cent sales tax to pay for police department capital improvements.

The tax will begin on Jan. 1, 2017, and continue through 2028. The measure passed with 67 percent of the vote.

Mayor Eileen Weir said she was pleased with the result and credited residents with working on the campaign to approve the tax.

“It’s obviously the number one priority for any city is safety,” Weir said. “And this ensures that we’ll be able to provide a high level of service in our police department.”

That was only one among a series of other tax questions, bond issues and candidates for municipal offices on ballots in Missouri, along with a few local elections in Kansas.

In Oak Grove, a half-cent sales tax to pay for public projects, including moving City Hall and the police station, received 52 percent of the vote.

In Raymore, voters passed a measure to issue $3.3 million in general obligation bonds for street construction and improvements, with 83 percent voting in favor of it. Another Raymore measure to issue $6.75 million in general obligation bonds for park and recreation improvements passed with 79 percent of the vote.

A Northmoor tax levy increase of 13.22 cents appeared deadlocked Tuesday night with 23 votes in favor and 23 votes against.

Voters in Jackson County approved a measure to let the Central Jackson County Fire Protection District issue $4 million in general obligation bonds for facilities and equipment. The measure passed with 82 percent of the vote.

For more information about elections in Jackson County, go to jcebmo.org.

This story was originally published April 5, 2016 at 9:52 PM with the headline "Voters pass Independence public safety sales tax and decide other local funding measures."