North kansas city School district transfer

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Three of the Northland’s biggest school districts approved new bond issues and tax-levy transfers Tuesday during special elections across Missouri.

More than 78% of North Kansas City School District voters signed off on Question 1, a $140-million bond issue for construction and renovation of new and existing school facilities.

It also will be used to purchase new buses without an increase to the district’s debt-service tax levy, which also is changing.

NKC Schools received permission from 71% of voters to transfer $0.20 of the existing property tax levy from the debt-service tax levy to the operating tax levy, which will allow the district to keep up with rising staff salary costs and other day-to-day costs.

Park Hill School District voters also approved two questions to provide additional funding or shift funding within the district.

Question 1, which drew 74% support, authorizes $137 in general obligation bonds for building a new elementary school and renovating some existing facilities.

Question 2, which passed with nearly 66% of the vote, transfers a portion of the debt-service tax levy to the operating tax levy to help keep the district competitive from a staff salary standpoint.

Proposition B, which passed with nearly 65% of the vote, authorizes the Kearney R-1 School District to issue $44 million in bonds for a new elementary school and some building renovations at existing facilities.

Also north of the river, the Lawson R-XIV School District passed a whopping 87-cent tax levy increase to help pay for retaining and attracting teachers and staff.

The district’s tax levy will increase to $3.7407 per $100 of assessed valuation and will cost the owner of a $200,000 house roughly $330.60 more in annual property taxes.

In addition to those tax questions, Lone Jack C-6 School District voters in Jackson and Cass counties approved a tax-levy transfer, which will provide more money from the operating tax levy with a corresponding reduction in the debt-service tax levy.

The transfer will allow Lone Jack schools to use the $0.2436 per $100 of assessed property value for staff and maintenance needs as well as other operating expenses rather than strictly for repaying bonds.

Three other Cass County districts received voter approval for bond issues:

• The East Lynne District No. 40 School District passed a 24-cent debt-service tax levy increase, which will generate $500,000 from general obligation bonds for infrastructure needs at district-owned facilities;
• More than 70% of voters in the Pleasant Hill R-III School District voted yes on $10-million bond issue for district-wide infrastructure repairs, but it won’t require a tax increase; 
• More than 83% of Strasburg C-3 School District voters approved a $2.2-million bond issue for infrastructure needs. It does not change the district’s debt-service tax levy.

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One of several proposed bond issue projects North Kansas City Schools would like to build is a second transportation hub in the north side of the district in addition to the south hub pictured here. Photo from NKC Schools.

For the second time in two years, the growing North Kansas City School District is asking voters to approve no-tax-increase ballot measures.

NKC’s $140 million bond issue and 20-cent levy transfer highlight election day April 5 along with a host of important school board races across most of LINC’s partner districts.

With its enrollment now around 21,000 students, North Kansas City stands as the second largest district in the state, second only to Springfield’s 23,000.

Steady growth — now and projected for coming years — is increasing the demands on district facilities, programs and staffing, district leadership says.

The proposed bond issue and levy transfer are needed, the district says, to keep pace and carry out the long-range plan the community approved in 2019.

Voters overwhelmingly approved a $155 million bond issue in June 2020 that opened or renovated several facilities, including the new early education center, several elementary schools and stadium and library renovations at the high schools, among other projects.

The 2020 bond issue, like the proposed bond issue in the April 5 election, did not increase the tax bills for district property owners. Instead, both bond issues allow the district to pay off debt further down the road at the current tax rate.

The same goes for the proposed levy transfer. If approved, the district would transfer a 20-cent portion of its debt service levy to its operating levy, That would give the district more funds for daily needs, like salaries and education program supports, while raising the overall levy or property owners’ tax bills.

If approved, the district plans to use the boosted revenue for several projects and needs, including new buildings for Crestview and Nashua elementary schools, additions and renovations at other schools, a second transportation hub to improve bus service, increasing staffing and the ability to meet higher operating costs.

The bond issue, by statute, requires a super majority of four-sevenths — or 57.14% — to pass. The levy transfer needs a simple majority. Learn more at North Kansas City Schools’ information page here.

School board elections

Voters in most area school districts will be deciding school board races. One exception is the Kansas City Public Schools which holds elections every other year, the next one coming in 2023.

Hickman Mills voters will be choosing from a slate of four candidates for two seats with three-year terms. Incumbent Cecil E. Wattree is running for re-election with challengers Terri T. Barr-Moore, Beth Ann Boerger and John Charles Carmichael. Incumbent Tramise Carter is not running for re-election.

Grandview will have a pair of board elections. In one race, incumbents Dawn Foy and Helen Ransom are seeking re-election with one challenger — Joshua Hill — vying for two seats with three-year terms. The other race will determine a board member to fill out the final year of an uncompleted term. Stacy Wright, who was appointed to fill the vacant seat last year, is running against challenger Keith David Shaw.

Center voters will choose two names from a slate of three candidates. Incumbent Ronald D. Fritz is challenged by Ira Boydston IV and Gayla Smith. Incumbent Beverly Cunningham is not running for re-election.

Fort Osage has six candidates vying for two seats, also with three-year terms. Incumbents Tim Brown and Sharon A. Dankenbring are challenged by Kyle A. Leeds, Dustin Schnakenberg, Jennifer C. Rogers and Kress Cambers.

North Kansas City features a crowded race, with eight candidates seeking two seats. Incumbents Terry Ward and Frances Yang are challenged by Josiah Bechthold, Laura Wagner, Duane Bartsch, Andrew Corrao, Daniel Wartick and Susan Hines.

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