Voters in locales around the country will soon decide on transportation taxes

Ballots in counties and cities around the country will ask voters on Nov. 7 whether to raise revenue via transportation taxes.

Kansas City, Mo.

Voters this fall in Kansas City, Mo., will decide whether to renew a 0.375% sales tax that is intended to provide commuters and others with an alternative to driving.

The sales tax collected on retail sales of property or services has raised more than $370 million for public transit over the past decade.

Initially approved in 2003, the tax was last renewed in 2008.

The Kansas City Area Transportation Authority receives a portion of the revenue – $37 million over the past year.

Another renewal is estimated to raise $420 million over 10 years. All revenue would be routed to the transportation authority.

The agency also receives city funding from a one-half-cent retail sales tax that does not require voter approval.

If voters reject renewal, the tax is set to expire next spring.

Spartanburg, S.C.

The November countywide ballot in Spartanburg, S.C., will include a question to apply a penny transportation sales tax.

The six-year tax is estimated to raise $478 million for road repaving, resurfacing, intersection improvements, road corridor reconstruction, bridge replacements and road safety in the state’s fifth most populous county. Specifically, 577 roads would be repaved. More than one dozen intersections would be improved and at least 10 bridges would be replaced.

One-third of the planned projects are county-owned and maintained. The South Carolina Department of Transportation owns and repairs most of the other roads eyed for repair in the county.

The penny tax would be combined with state and other funds to fix roads on the project list.

Supporters say the sales tax is a better option for residents than a property tax increase to fix roads. They add that about one-third of the sales tax revenue would come from out-of-county spenders.

If approved, the tax would be implemented May 1, 2024 and run through April 2030.

Parker County, Texas

Ballots in Parker County, Texas, will include a question about whether to authorize a $130 million transportation bond.

The last transportation bond approval in the locale located directly west of Fort Worth occurred in 2016. At that time, $56 million in bonds was applied to the East Loop. Another $19 million was allotted for various county projects.

Another bond authorization would result in an estimated 3.2-cent increase to the county’s debt service fund.

Money would be used for 35 projects around the county. Parker County would be responsible for 15 projects. Cities would receive funds for another 12 projects. Eight more projects would be the responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation.

Advocates say the transportation bond is necessary to address 34% population growth since 2010. The county is ranked 6th in the nation on the list of fastest-growing counties. LL

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