Thursday, Jan. 26, 2012
Raymore Council gives final approval to vehicle tax relief
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By Allen Edmonds, The Democrat Missourian
Raymore’s City Council gave final approval Jan. 23 to a plan that would eliminate the city’s vehicle sticker tax, a $5 annual assessment on vehicles and $2.50 assessment on motorcycles.
The tax, which yields an approximate $65,000 per year and was originally designated for road repair, is collected on citizens’ annual county tax assessment bills.
The bills have already gone out for 2012, but the tax will be eliminated on next year’s tax bills.
Ward 2 council member Ryan Wescoat renewed his opposition to the removal of the revenue source without further consideration.
He detailed “windfall” revenue growth over the last several years, including cell phone company lawsuit settlements, which the city would not be able to count on in the future.
“As we move forward, our fund balance isn’t going to be funded by taxes,” Wescoat said. “And based on what I’ve seen, I’m not willing to vote in favor of removing this revenue source.”
Wescoat said he is a fiscal conservative, but during first consideration of the bill on Jan. 9, he said the last thing he wanted to do is go back to the citizens in a few years and ask for a renewal of the tax.
In other business, the council gave first-reading approval to final plat approval for the Raymore Galleria North Second Plat, a one-log commercial subdivision located on the north side of Foxwood Drive, east of Firestone.
Planned for the land is what Community Development Director Jim Cadoret described as a “premium-level” car wash. He said the car wash would offer multiple levels of service – a do-it-yourself wash, as well as detailing services provided by on-site staff.
The council also granted initial approval to the award of a $32,000 contract to Hoefer Wysocki Architecture of Kansas City for design services on the pending remodeling project to allow for expansion of the police department and dispatch areas on the lower level of City Hall.
The department will expand into area that currently houses the Community Room. Assistant City Manager Jim Feuerborn told the council that the city’s new police chief, who has not yet been hired, will have input into the project.
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