Of a whopping 555 eligible voters, 318 voted this week to approve a special taxing district to help pay for a downtown Kansas City streetcar, reports David Twiddy.
The streetcar, which is expected to run 2 miles through downtown Kansas City from Union Station to the River Market is expected to cost $101 million. "[City Councilman Russ] Johnson said the city and the Port Authority of Kansas City now must create a
Kansas City Streetcar Authority. The authority would be responsible for
holding a second vote, most likely during the November elections, to
approve a slate of special property assessments and a sales tax within
the district to generate the remaining $75 million for the project," explains Twiddy.
Apparently the segment approved this week is just the first phase in a system that could eventually expand throughout the city.
According to Twiddy, "A group of streetcar supporters has started Neighbor.ly, an online 'crowdfunding' platform to raise money for the project through
individual donations."
FULL STORY: Downtown Kansas City voters back streetcar taxing district

Maui's Vacation Rental Debate Turns Ugly
Verbal attacks, misinformation campaigns and fistfights plague a high-stakes debate to convert thousands of vacation rentals into long-term housing.

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Bend, Oregon Zoning Reforms Prioritize Small-Scale Housing
The city altered its zoning code to allow multi-family housing and eliminated parking mandates citywide.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

LA Denies Basic Services to Unhoused Residents
The city has repeatedly failed to respond to requests for trash pickup at encampment sites, and eliminated a program that provided mobile showers and toilets.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
planning NEXT
Appalachian Highlands Housing Partners
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie