KANSAS CITY – On the ballot Tuesday for April municipal elections: the KC mayor primary, tax questions on recreational marijuana and short-term rentals, and more.
Kansas City voters overwhelmingly approved adding a 3% sales tax to recreational marijuana sales. Jackson County voters did as well. Now, the two governments will hash out if these taxes can be stacked on top of one another. There is already a 6% Missouri sales tax on cannabis.
Kansas City voters also voted for Mayor Quinton Lucas by a vast margin over Virginia-based activist Clay Chastain. Lucas winning the race handily 82% to 18%.
Voters in KC also approved placing a tax on short-term rentals e.g. Airbnb. Kansas City will now implement a 7.5% tax on all lodgings, including short-term rentals, testing hotel rooms and short-term rental rooms equally.
Also approved, a $3 license fee per night for all hotel rooms and short-term rental rooms. Hotels already pay $1.50 per room, per night. This increases that, and will now apply to Airbnb and VRBO rentals.
There were numerous elections held in cities and towns across the KC Metro. See the full results here.