Judge: No requirement for Platte County to collect children’s mental health tax

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - A Platte County judge sided with Platte County Commissioners and determined they are not required to levy a sales tax to fund children’s mental health services.

The judge issued the ruling on April 1, nearly five months after 56% of voters approved the quarter-cent sales tax for the Children’s Services Fund. ers of the tax hoped it would fund mental health services for children under the age of 19.

Then in December, the three-member Platte County Commission voted unanimously to reject the sales tax. The commission cited state law that says they may levy the tax — not shall levy the tax — which they said gave them the choice to nix the tax.

In February, two voters filed a lawsuit against the Platte County Commission and Missouri Department of Revenue. The lawsuit asked the court to order the Commission to implement the tax approved by voters and appoint the nine-member board for the fund. It also asked the court to require the Missouri Department of Revenue to start collecting the sales tax.

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In the April 1 ruling, the judge said the wording of the ballot language gave commissioners the authority to levy the tax, but did not require them to do so.