City of Blue Springs Holds Council Meeting to Vote on No Tax Rate Increase

KSHB 41 reporter Claire Bradshaw covers parts of eastern Jackson County, including areas like Blue Springs and Independence. If you have a story idea to share, email Claire at [email protected].

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Voters in Blue Springs will have the opportunity to learn more about the special election ballot before August 6.

The city has scheduled a meeting for Monday, July 29 at 5 p.m. at City Hall, located at 903 W. Main St.

Voters can provide feedback and learn more about the eight road improvements the city plans to implement if the tax-free increase is approved.

“If you’ve been in Blue Springs for very long, you know that street maintenance has been a topic of conversation for a long time. So this is going to be a priority to address street maintenance in the neighborhood,” said Mayor Chris Lievsay.

The city is asking voters to approve a new tax-free increase so it can issue $40 million in general obligation bonds.

These bonds would finance various projects, including:

Implementation of the City’s Neighborhood Street Preservation Program
- The emphasis here is on neighbourhood streets that are in poor or dilapidated condition.
Improvements to Mock from 7 Highway to NE Sunnyside School Road
- Reduce traffic congestion by widening roads, re-marking them, and adding additional turning lanes.
Improvements to Adams Dairy Parkway at Duncan Road
- Creating a dedicated lane for northbound right turns on Duncan Road to reduce traffic congestion.
Implementation of the Downtown Master Plan Capital Improvements
Widening and improvement of Walnut Street from Woods Chapel Road to 15th Street
- Widening and completion of the reconstruction of the road surface, while also installing curbs, sidewalks and drainage.
Adams Dairy Parkway Street Lighting Improvements
- New street lighting from south of Moreland School Road to Wyatt Road on both sides of the road.
Construction of SW 12th Street from SW Southcrest Drive to Wyatt Road
- This will allow Southwest Park to be connected in the future and allow emergency services to reach neighborhoods from the new Southern Jackson County Fire Station, reducing response time.
Improvement of the intersection of Woods Chapel Road and US 40 Highway
- Increase the number of turns and reduce traffic from Woods Chapel Road south to Highway 40.

More information about each proposed project can be found on the city’s dedicated election webpage.

According to the city, the levy would remain the same at 15 cents per $100 of assessed value, leaving the tax rate unaffected.

However, there are other factors controlled by the Hancock Amendment that can affect property values and taxes.

The last time voters approved a similar proposal was in 2008, which raised money for improvements such as the construction of a diamond along Woods Chapel Road.

Some residents told KSHB 41 News they plan to vote yes this year because the projects are long overdue.