Kansas City voters to decide five city measures, including $750 million sewer bonds and $100 million housing bonds

Kansas City Council voted May 21 to place five municipal measures before voters in the Aug. 4, 2026 election, sending major proposed spending and tax questions to the city’s qualified electors.

The ballot includes proposed authorizations for up to $750 million in sanitary-sewer revenue bonds, $100 million in affordable-housing general-obligation bonds and a separate $100 million bond for convention and city facilities. Voters also will be asked whether to renew a targeted Central City economic-development sales tax for 10 years.

Sewer-system funding

One ballot question would authorize the city to issue up to $750 million in sanitary-sewer revenue bonds. The proposed funding would be used for rehabilitation, expansion and improvement of Kansas City’s sanitary sewer system, along with related land and rights-of-way.

The election is an authorization question, not an indication that the full amount will be issued immediately. If voters approve it, the amount ultimately issued would depend on later city actions and market conditions.

Housing and civic facilities

A separate question asks voters to authorize up to $100 million in general-obligation bonds for affordable housing through the Kansas City Housing Trust Fund. The city describes the proposal as a no-tax-increase initiative tied to the retirement of existing debt.

The affordable-housing bond question requires approval by a four-sevenths majority. The ballot action itself does not mean the bonds have been approved; election results were not included in the source record.

Another proposed $100 million bond would support renovations to convention facilities and older government buildings. The city identified Municipal Auditorium, Music Hall and City Hall among the facilities covered by that measure.

Central City sales-tax renewal

Voters also will consider renewing a one-eighth-of-one-percent sales tax for 10 years for economic-development projects in a defined Central City area. The boundaries listed in the ballot legislation are 9th Street, Gregory Boulevard, The Paseo and Indiana Avenue.

The existing tax is scheduled to expire Sept. 30, 2027. The Aug. 4 question asks whether to extend it; it is not a finding that the renewal has taken effect.

The City of Kansas City, Missouri, said the five ballot measures address water and sewer infrastructure, affordable housing, historic civic facilities and East Side economic development. The next known step is the Aug. 4 vote, when Kansas City voters will decide the proposed authorizations and tax renewal.