The Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors approved a motion on Wednesday, Sept. 28, to support the $235 million no tax increase bond issue for the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools.
The bond issue – which will be on the Nov. 8 ballot – will extend the period of the current bond, while not raising taxes for residents.
Construction projects will largely be completed over a five year period and will include safety and security upgrades to all buildings, replacement of four outdated schools, the repurposing of two buildings, new playgrounds and kitchens for buildings that need them, and the completion of critical maintenance projects.
“We have built or renovated 14 facilities over the past seven years, using existing funds,” said Cynthia Lane, superintendent. “This bond will allow us to continue to make improvements to our facilities, in order to support our students in graduating high school prepared for college and careers. We are pleased that we can do this without raising taxes.”
The KCKPS bond proposal aligns with KCK Chamber Education Initiatives put forth in the organization’s 2016 Legislative Agenda. The chamber supports local initiatives that ensure all children have the opportunity to attend well-funded, successful public schools regardless of where they live, and in turn foster a career-ready workforce, a spokesman said.
“The chamber’s support for this bond issue shows the business community understands that quality and up-to-date facilities are key to the education of our children,” said Mike Smallwood, owner of Smallwood Locksmiths and Supply and Chair of the KCK Chamber Legislative Committee.
According to a study conducted by Impact DataSource, construction activity derived from the bond will pump $307 million into the KCK economy, create an estimated 933 total jobs each year during construction and support $105 million in salaries for area construction workers and other workers. Overall, the projects will create an estimated $27.3 million in local taxable sales and spending, and generate $718,628 for the city and county.
For more information on the zero tax increase bond issue, visit kckps.org/PleaseVote.