KC Light Rail

Ordinance 080693 for the KCMO light rail starter line advanced from today's Transportation & Infrastructure Committee and is on its way to the full council. Approval is expected since all of the councilmembers have signed on as co-sponsors and route compromises enabled total concensus. This moves Kansas City another step closer to the 3/8-cent sales tax question appearing on the November ballot. Now all that's left is council approval — likely next week — before the Aug. 26 ballot deadline.

Some changes were made to the ballot language, basically codifying the route in the actual ballot language (versus leaving it in the separate non-binding resolution):

For the purpose of funding a light rail passenger system running from the area around the intersection of Bruce R. Watkins Roadway and 63rd Street on the south to the area around the intersection of Northeast Vivion Road and North Oak Trafficway on the north, which can ultimately connect to a regional public transportation system, shall the City of Kansas City impose a sales tax of 1/4 % under the authority of Section 94.577, RSMo, and a sales tax of 1/8 % under the authority of Section 94.600, RSMo, both for a period not to exceed 25 years, beginning April 1, 2009, and which may include the retirement of debt under authorized bonded indebtedness?

UPDATE: Here's The Star's coverage of today's meeting.