Mayor Mark Holland put his support behind the $235 million bond issue for the Kansas City, Kan., Public Schools at Thursday night’s Unified Government meeting.
“Our kids deserve the best possible education in the best possible facilities,” Mayor Holland said.
Economic development depends on the quality of the schools, he said.
“When we have quality schools, it increases the property values of all the residential property around it,” Mayor Holland said. “It increases the value in our community and the ability to provide services. This is a win-win for us. To be able to do it with a zero-tax increase is big.”
He made his remarks after Superintendent Cindy Lane spoke about the $235 million bond issue on the Nov. 8 general election ballot.
Lane said under this proposed bond issue, taxes would not increase, four new schools would be built, security features would be added to schools, several new kitchens would be planned for schools, some playground improvements will be made, and repairs would be done at all schools. Taxes would not increase because this bond issue would replace the bond issue passed 15 years ago to air-condition schools. The bonds for air-conditioning the schools are expiring.
Mayor Holland also said that it is important for people to vote to retain the Supreme Court justices in this election, and not politicize the offices. There is a conservative campaign against retaining some of the justices.
There was support from several individual commissioners for the school district’s bond issue. Commissioner Hal Walker, a former UG attorney, asked UG Attorney Ken Moore to research if the commission could legally vote to endorse the school district bond issue.
Walker said he was personally in favor of the bond issue. Also offering encouragement were Commissioner Mike Kane and Commissioner Jane Philbrook.
The school district’s bond issue also has received endorsements from political action groups of the Kansas City, Kan., Area Chamber of Commerce, Tri-County Labor Council and Kansas City, Kan., National Education Association.
BPU bond issue approved
In other action, the UG Commission approved a $62 million Board of Public Utilities bond issue. Several improvements are listed for the bond issue. Also approved was $53 million in utility system refunding revenue bonds, which will refinance existing bonds.
Commissioner Mike Kane asked for a meeting between the UG and BPU. A meeting may be held in a few weeks to discuss an ordinance on telecommunications state law changes, and that will affect which utilities are underground, according to UG officials. Mayor Holland said he anticipates a discussion about whether Leavenworth Road will have utilities underground.
Kane said he would like the UG and BPU to have a discussion together, and he wants to hear the concerns of the BPU board.
For an earlier story on the school district bond issue, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/kckps-235-million-bond-issue-wont-increase-taxes-officials-say/#comment-187645.
For an earlier story about the BPU bond issue, visit https://wyandotteonline.com/ug-commission-to-consider-62-million-bpu-bond-issue-other-items-thursday/ or https://wyandotteonline.com/bpu-approves-62-million-bond-issue-for-utility-improvements/