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Kansas City, Missouri, Question 1, Earnings Tax (April 2021)
| Kansas City Question 1 | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Election date April 6, 2021 | |
| Topic Local income tax | |
Status Approved | |
| Type Referral | Origin Lawmakers |
Kansas City Question 1 was on the ballot as a referral in Kansas City on April 6, 2021. It was approved.
A "yes" vote supported renewing for five years an existing 1% earnings tax thereby generating an estimated $270 million per year for Kansas City's general fund. |
A "no" vote opposed renewing for five years an existing 1% earnings tax thereby allowing the existing earnings tax to expire by January 1, 2022. |
Kansas City has collected earnings taxes since 1963, the most recent earnings tax preceding the 2021 election was a 1% earnings tax approved in 2016. The tax represents 44% of the city’s budget and generates approximately $270 million annually for the general fund.[1]
A simple majority was required for the approval of Question 1.
Election results
|
Kansas City Question 1 |
||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Result | Votes | Percentage | ||
|
|
29,448 | 77.26% | ||
| No | 8,668 | 22.74% | ||
Text of measure
Ballot title
The ballot title for Question 1 was as follows:
| “ | Shall the earnings tax of 1%, imposed by the City of Kansas City, be continued for a period of five (5) years commencing January 1 immediately following the date of this election? | ” |
Full Text
The full text of this measure is available here.
Background
Proposition A
The Missouri Earnings Tax Act, or Proposition A, was approved in the November 2010 election after appearing on the ballot as an initiated state statute.[2] With the approval of the measure, voters in Kansas City and St. Louis were required to hold a referendum on keeping the levy in 2011, and every five years thereafter. City residents in St. Louis and Kansas City voted to keep the 1% city earnings taxes on April 5, 2011, with 78% voting in favor in Kansas City and 88% voting in favor in St. Louis.[3] On April 5, 2016, residents in both cities again voted to keep the 1% city earnings tax with 81% voting to renew the tax in Kansas city, and 72% voting to renew the tax in St. Louis.[4][5] If the levy is rejected by voters the tax would be phased out at one-tenth of one percent per year and could not be reinstated.
Path to the ballot
This measure was put on the ballot by the Kansas City City Council through a vote on October 29, 2020.
See also
External links
Footnotes
- ↑ City of Kansas City, "Ordinance No. 200854," accessed March 3, 2021
- ↑ Missouri Secretary of State, "2010 Ballot Measures," accessed August 9, 2010
- ↑ "St. Louis, Kansas City voters want earnings tax," Missouri Watchdog, April 5, 2011
- ↑ Kansas City Board of Election Commissioners, "Election Summary Report, April 5, 2016," accessed March 9, 2021
- ↑ St. Louis Board of Election Commissioners, "Election Summary Report, General Municipal Election, St. Louis, Missouri, April 5, 2016," accessed March 9, 2021
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State of Missouri Jefferson City (capital) |
|---|---|
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