Overview
- Kansas City voters approved renewing the 1% earnings tax Tuesday, keeping the levy in place after Question 1 passed by a wide margin.
- The tax raises about $370 million each year, which is roughly 47% of the general fund and about 15% of the $2.5 billion city budget.
- It applies to people who live or work in Kansas City, about half of the revenue comes from commuters, and Social Security and pensions are exempt.
- If the measure had failed, state law would have forced a 10-year phaseout, and the five-year cycle puts the next renewal on the 2031 ballot.
- Backers from labor and business called the tax essential with no plan B, while critics said it is regressive and can nudge workers and businesses outside city limits.