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<p><font size="+1"><font face="Calibri"><a class="moz-txt-link-freetext" href="http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2017/jul/06/local-group-wants-voters-reject-city-sales-tax-wou/">http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2017/jul/06/local-group-wants-voters-reject-city-sales-tax-wou/</a></font></font></p>
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padding-top: 9px; padding-bottom: 9px;">Local group wants voters
to reject city sales tax that would generate more than $100
million</h2>
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18px;">July 6, 2017</p>
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For about the past 10 years, each time shoppers in Lawrence open
their wallets to make a purchase the amount they pay includes an
additional charge.<br>
<br>
That charge, a .55 percent citywide sales tax, has generated
millions annually for the city and will sunset next year unless
voters renew it. One local advocacy group, Lawrence Sunset
Alliance, is asking residents to vote no on renewal.<br>
<br>
“In the past, I think a lot of things in this town have passed
because there hasn’t been vocal opposition, or at least a
discussion about a yes/no and what that means,” LSA treasurer
Patrick Wilbur said. “This is a 10-year renewal and repurpose, so
we’re committing a lot.”<br>
<br>
The Douglas County Libertarians began the opposition group, but
Wilbur said they would like to work with a variety of local groups
as part of the campaign, which launched Thursday.<br>
<br>
If the City Commission follows city staff’s recommendation, the
renewal of the additional sales tax will be on the November
ballot. If approved, the special tax would be in place from 2019
to 2029 and is projected to generate more than $116 million for
city infrastructure, transit and affordable housing.<br>
<br>
In a memo to the commission, city staff state that failure to
renew the sales tax would have significant consequences on city
operations, as it is the primary funding source for transit and a
number of projects in the city’s capital improvement plan.
Infrastructure projects include dedicated funding for residential
street and curb maintenance, as well as other high-dollar road
projects.<br>
<br>
Wilbur said the main message of the opposition campaign is that
sales tax is regressive, meaning that unlike property taxes, it
disproportionately affects those with lower incomes.<br>
<br>
“We’re basically putting the burden on lower-income people for
these services,” Wilbur said. “These are all services that we
could fund through the general fund if we wanted to.”<br>
<br>
Currently, the .55 percent sales tax breaks down as follows: .3
percent for infrastructure, .2 percent for transit and .05 percent
for expanded transit service. Under the upcoming sales tax renewal
proposal, the .05 percent would be repurposed to fund the city’s
affordable housing trust fund. If not renewed by Lawrence voters,
the taxes will sunset in March 2019.<br>
<br>
When combined with the county and state’s sales tax rates,
Lawrence residents pay 9.05 percent on their purchases, which in
Kansas includes groceries. The sales taxes are in addition to the
1 percent general city sales tax and generated $9.8 million to
support infrastructure and transit in 2016.<br>
<br>
The sales tax was passed with strong support from voters in a
citywide election in 2008. Almost three-quarters of city voters,
or 73 percent, approved the measure.<br>
<br>
City staff are recommending that the City Commission approve an
election for the sales tax renewal, which would allow voters to
consider each of the three components of the tax individually. If
renewed, the city projects the taxes to generate more than $63
million for infrastructure, $42 million for transit and $10.5
million for affordable housing over a 10-year period.<br>
<br>
The deadline for questions to be placed on the Nov. 7 ballot is
Aug. 7 and the City Commission must approve the ballot language no
later than Aug. 1.<br>
<br>
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