Voters will decide on CJC fire district sales tax Aug. 5

The Central Jackson County Fire Protection District is taking advantage of a state ruling allowing fire districts to use sales tax money to help fund departments.

That means when voters in the CJC district head to the polls on Aug. 5, they’ll see a half-cent sales tax issue meant to generate as much as $2 million annually.

But when it comes to sales tax money, there is no certainty on how much it will generate. Only estimates and the hope that people will spend.

“The method of a sales tax is to partly put the increase on people who don’t live within the fire district’s boundaries,” Fire Chief Steven Westermann said. “It’s not a burden like property taxes.”

But with a sales tax increase comes the state requirement that the district roll back, or reduce, an existing property tax passed in 2002 by about 18 cents.

That, too, is an estimate, Westermann said, adding that he expects the reduction will save a homeowner of a $200,000 home about $70 annually, and as much as $350 annually for an average-sized commercial business, valued at $500,000.

If passed the sales tax money will be used to hire additional personnel and help pay for the increased costs associated with operations – including gas and diesel fuel. The department currently has 130 uniformed staff.

“It’s become a strain on the department,” Westermann said of operating costs. “All the departments are feeling it.”

To bolster his argument, Westermann points to population figures and the number of response calls during a 16-year period.

In 1993, CJC responded to 2,600 calls. In 2007, that number grew to 6,600, a 150 percent increase. Most of that can be attributed to the Blue Spring’s growth rate, recording 40,153 people in 1990 and 53,885 in 2006. In Grain Valley, there has been a 300 percent increase, from 1,898 residents in 1990 to 9,430 in 2006. Only Lake Tapawingo saw a population decrease during that same time period, from 843 to 801.

Overall, the three-city area experienced a 50 percent growth, which is similar to other fire districts in the metropolitan areas. Fire Districts in Raytown, Sni-Valley and Prairie Township utilize sales tax incomes to assist with cost.

“There’s obviously growth, and with that comes expense,” Wester- mann said.

The sales tax increase could infuse CJC with significant money in late summer 2009 (around the time the district expects to start collecting) when the Adams Dairy Landing project opens to Blue Springs and surrounding residents. The massive retail center already has major retailers Lowe’s and Target and expects more.

In Blue Springs, Mayor Carson Ross said he feels it’s the wrong time for the fire district to put a sales tax issue on the ballot. Ross, who vetoed one sales tax issue that would have helped fund city park system improvements, said the economy simply can’t shoulder another increase.

“People are having a hard time making ends meet,” he said, citing the usual increases.

Carson, whose political powers do not affect the fire district because of its separateness, said he believes that sales tax revenue should be used by cities rather than fire districts.

“Sales tax is the means in which cities raise revenue and fire districts use property taxes, as evident in their levy being higher than the city’s,” he said.

Voters also will see on the Aug. 5 ballot an existing CJC bond issue that will not raise property taxes. Used for capital improvements, the bond will be used to purchase a new ariel truck and engine, as well as help with final costs associated with the district’s new training center.