Today, leaders and advocates from across Kansas City have come together to support the renewal of Kansas City’s earnings tax (“e-tax”), which will appear before voters in the April 6, 2021, election.
Key supporters of the renewal effort include:
- Mayor Quinton Lucas and 11 other members of the Kansas City Council
- Business leaders including the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, South Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Civic Council of Greater Kansas City, and more
- The Association of Heavy Constructors, IAFF (Firefighters) Local 42, AFL-CIO, SEIU, Laborers Local 264, and more
- An expanding coalition of neighborhood associations, community advocacy organizations, and more
“I’m proud to stand alongside neighborhood, labor, and business leaders across Kansas City to support renewing the earnings tax. The e-tax revenue is critical to our city’s future and will protect city jobs and our investment in basic services like pothole repair, trash pickup, and snow removal. Just as critically, it will protect our ability to respond to emergencies by protecting the jobs of our first responders. The consequences of a failed e-tax renewal are simply too great; I urge everyone in Kansas City to renew this vital funding source on April 6.
— Mayor Quinton Lucas
“Elimination of the earnings tax, like so many other things, would disproportionately impact low-income neighborhoods, where there are more calls for police, greater infrastructure needs, and a greater need for trash and debris pickup due to areas of illegal dumping. The subsequent loss of city jobs would also be felt most acutely by the residents in the urban heart of our city. It is vital to Kansas City’s future that we renew the e-tax.”
— Dianne Cleaver, President & CEO, Urban Neighborhood Initiative
“Renewing the earnings tax protects first responders and everyone in Kansas City. Without it, we could face layoffs and service cuts, and our ability to respond to emergencies would suffer. This renewal is critical, and we’ll be focused on informing voters about it before April 6.”
— Tim Dupin, International Association of Firefighters Local 42
“Support for the earnings tax is a simple matter of common sense. The e-tax drives economic growth and ensures that Kansas City will continue to invest in critical infrastructure and city services. Organized labor will dedicate our fullest effort toward educating our members and our neighbors on this critical issue in the runup to the April 6 election.”
— Reggie Thomas, President/Business Manager, Laborers Local Union #264
“Kansas City’s ability to remain competitive depends on renewing the earnings tax. It is an investment that is critical for our future. Kansas City’s ability to repair and upgrade its aging infrastructure is at stake. The renewal of the e-tax protects Kansas City from drastic cuts to street repair, snow removal, transportation, and other basic services. It’s vital that we renew the e-tax on April 6.”
— Bridgette Williams, Executive Director, Heavy Constructors Association of Greater Kansas City
“The KC Chamber supports renewal of the earnings tax because of the stability and services it provides. A strong community helps in both recruitment and retention of employees and companies. As City Hall faces immense revenue challenges due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this is not the time to eliminate this critical source of dollars for everything from public safety to street repair to trash collection.”
— Joe Reardon, President, Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce
The renewal effort will be led by Together KC, an organization and Missouri PAC dedicated exclusively to e-tax renewal. Together KC has already secured a total of over $1 million in funds raised and committed, with the goal of ultimately raising and spending $1.2 million to communicate the e-tax’s value to Kansas City voters. Direct voter contact and digital organizing are the foundation of this outreach effort. The effort has already raised over $500,000.