KC Council votes on marijuana sales tax to fight violent crimes

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (KCTV) - Kansas City Council voted yes on Thursday to a marijuana sales tax that could help fight violent crimes in the city.

Close to half a million dollars will go toward a violence prevention program known as “Aim 4 Peace.”

In April, voters approved a 3 percent city tax on pot. Mayor Quinton Lucas says the plan is to use the proceeds to clean up neighborhoods, help the homeless, and curb violence.

Members of the city council’s public safety committee heard a proposal Wednesday that would give Aim4Peace $458,000 in funding.

“I think it’s a good thing because it keeps the area clean and it’s a better place to live,” said local marijuana customer James Smith.

Voters approved the 3% tax in April. Some local customers say they’re content knowing their money will be invested back into making the city feel safer.

“That’s awesome. I like that. Something to help the people that don’t have anyone speaking up for them, or a voice. Yeah, that’s good,” said customer Adriane Cristoff.

The funding would pay for Aim4Peace to add two new teams of five people. The organization uses a public health approach to prevent violence in Kansas City, Missouri.

They do this by teaming up with community partners like the Kansas City police department, and Kansas City Public Schools to identify people most at-risk of violence.

Those people are guided to different programs like boxing lessons or a ‘peace center’ where they can redirect their energy into something positive. The mission is to stop violence in its tracks.

One of newly added teams will focus on working with the Hispanic community, according to Rashid Junaid with Aim4Peace.

“That would entail the salaries of those staff as well as the support behind the staff in terms of administrators, phones, computers and all those types of things. In the process of them doing the work they have to document everything in our respective systems, Junaid said.

The city estimates it will receive $3 million from the tax annually when the tax takes effect October 1, 2023.

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