October 31, 2019

On Tuesday November 5th, Raytown voters have the opportunity to renew the current 1/8-cent sales tax which provides annual funding for their Parks & Recreation system and the city’s Storm Water system.

Raytown Parks & Recreation utilizes revenue produced by this sales tax to fund the continued maintenance of aging structures such as shelter houses, playgrounds, tennis courts and ball fields, trail overlays, beautification of roadways and public restrooms.

Services supported include special civic events, partnerships with citizen groups, well maintained grounds and flower beds and snow removal. Raytown Parks & Recreation also hosts youth and adult sports, special community events, children’s play areas, hike & bike trails and arts & music events.

In addition, Raytown Parks & Recreation maintains right-of-way beautification on Raytown’s main thoroughfares as well as Park properties. Recent and upcoming upgrade or improvement projects include new lighting in several parks, security patrol, WiFi service, new walking trails, 9-hole disc golf course, parking lot overlay, a new fountain at the Kenagy pond and Kenagy tennis court repairs.

Raytown’s Public Works Department utilizes this sales tax to maintain a 40+ year old, 51+ linear mile storm water system which conveys storm water within the city of Raytown. Storm water includes the accumulation of rain and melted snow which is not absorbed into the soil, but rather runs rapidly into storm drains, sewer systems and drainage ditches causing downstream flooding, stream bank erosion, combined storm and sanitary sewer system overflows and infrastructure damage. Several recent upgrades to the system have been completed and there are nine upcoming storm sewer projects totaling more than $700,000 in the works.

This 1/8-cent sales tax annually provides $277,000 for Raytown’s Parks and Recreation system and $80,000 for the city’s Storm Water system. Please mark Tuesday November 5th on your calendar and remember to vote.

OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE
Shall the City of Raytown, Missouri continue to impose an existing sales tax at a rate of one-eighth (1/8) of one percent for the purpose of funding Local Parks/Storm Water Control within the City for a term of five (5) years? The monies received from the Local Parks/Storm Water Control sales tax shall be distributed with Local Parks receiving seventy-five percent (75%) and Storm Water Control receiving twenty-five percent (25%) for their respective functions.