City of Blue Springs Question — local use tax (Jackson County)

What it does

Shall the City of Blue Springs, Missouri impose a local use tax at the same rate as the total local sales tax rate, currently 2.5%, provided that if the local sales tax rate is reduced or raised by voter approval, the local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action? If this question is approved, the City of Blue Springs would begin collecting a use tax from sales made to Blue Springs buyers by online and out of state vendors that are not currently taxed. The funds derived from the use tax will fund streets and other capital improvements.

A YES vote means

Blue Springs would charge a local use tax equal to its local sales tax rate, now 2.5%, on purchases by Blue Springs buyers from online and out-of-state sellers not currently taxed, to fund streets and other capital improvements.

A NO vote means

Blue Springs would not charge this local use tax.

What it would cost

2.5% sales tax: $2.50 on a $100 taxable purchase. It would continue a tax already in place rather than add a new one.

Needed to pass

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Left–right lean

Unclear: our AI read of the official summary isn't confident enough (we require 70%) to place this on the left–right spectrum, so we don't. Read the summary and decide for yourself.

The YES and NO lines are SpectrumVote's plain-language reading of the official text above; the official text is what you vote on.

Official text: source

Background

Blue Springs City Council considered Bill 5425, approving this use tax ballot issue, at its August 17, 2026 meeting, according to the meeting agenda.

The city's staff report says a use tax applies to purchases from out-of-state retailers delivered to a Blue Springs address, that no purchase would be subject to both use tax and sales tax, and that the city's sales tax is 2.5%.

The report says the city has no voter-approved use tax, and that earlier ballot measures in April 2018 and August 2022 were defeated.

It says revenue would go to streets and other capital improvements, letting the city overlay all 438.96 lane miles by 2032 instead of about 2036; if approved, collection would begin April 1, 2027.

Put on the ballot by Blue Springs City Council, Bill 5425, August 17, 2026 meeting (vote not stated in the agenda).

From official source.

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Quick answers

What does a YES vote on City of Blue Springs Question mean?

Blue Springs would charge a local use tax equal to its local sales tax rate, now 2.5%, on purchases by Blue Springs buyers from online and out-of-state sellers not currently taxed, to fund streets and other capital improvements.

What does a NO vote on City of Blue Springs Question mean?

Blue Springs would not charge this local use tax.

How many votes does City of Blue Springs Question need to pass?

A simple majority: more than half of the YES and NO votes on this measure must be YES. Leaving it blank doesn't count either way.

Should I vote yes or no on City of Blue Springs Question?

SpectrumVote doesn't endorse anyone or tell you how to vote. Read what a YES and a NO vote each do, and the official text, then decide based on what you want to happen.

When is the vote?

The general election was Tuesday, November 3, 2026. Counts are unofficial until each state certifies its results over the following weeks; your state or county election office has the official results.