An important perspective from Kansas City's most strident transit activist on local finances and democracy as Mayor and Council struggle to figure out a financial plan for City Hall . . .
Clay Chastain...Council should put all three initiative petitions on April ballot with city's $800 million bond issue.
After today's city council legislative session the council will have been made aware by the city clerk that 3 petitions have been declared sufficient by her office with each seeking to be placed before voters on the April ballot, and they are...
(1) the streetcar initiative that seeks a CITYWIDE vote to transform the city's downtown streetcar system into a more rapid, useful and citywide rail system;
(2) the initiative that seeks to insure that any proposal to expand the city's streetcar system be placed before CITYWIDE voters; and
(3) an initiative to raise the sales tax 1/8-cent to fund capital improvement projects on the city's eastside.
The city has also indicated it wants to place on the same April 4, 2017 KCMO ballot an $800 million bond issue for infrastructure improvements.
All of these 4 measures deserve to be placed before voters. If the city tries to keep the initiatives off the April ballot or cherry pick which initiatives they will allow on the ballot (so as to assure their own bond issues has no competition) it will be met with legal resistance.
The city has a history (under the current Sly James' administration) of being hostile to initiatives from the people. We urge the council to act in good faith, represent the public interest and allow voters to vote on all 4 measures at the April election.
Clay Chastain...leader of the initiative to expand the city's streetcar system via a CITYWIDE vote.
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