Tell Somebody

For a very long time, Kansas City has had a ½ cent sales tax, called the Public Mass Transportation Fund, used primarily to fund the city bus system.  Because that was not enough for the bus system, in 2003 the citizens of Kansas City voted for an additional 3/8 cent sales tax dedicated for the Kansas City Area Transit Authority, the idea being that this would augment the 95% of the existing ½ cent tax being used to fund the KCATA. But the city began drawing off some of the ½ cent tax to other projects, in effect nullifying much of the 3/8 cent tax. In December 2010, the Kansas City City Council passed ordinance 100951 “directing the City Manager to incrementally increase current appropriations to Kansas City Area Transit Authority beginning May 1, 2010” and amending the City Code of Ordinances such that “at least ninety-five percent of the remaining sales tax for transportation…shall, by May 1, 2014, be appropriated and paid by the City to the Kansas City Area Transit Authority” and stating that “the City