Your Opinion: Consider facts before tax vote

Dear Editor:

We will be asked to renew the Jefferson City Capital Improvements Sales Tax (CIST) in August. Here are some facts to consider before you vote in August.

CIST can only be used for new projects and equipment or major improvements. Public Works will get about $15 million and can't use any of this money to patch our roads or for general maintenance. While we have completed some big projects over the last 30 years, we can't keep building new and bigger without maintaining what we build or buy.

There is $2.5 million of the CIST that is contingency/economic development money. We do not know how this will be used. It could possibly go for Adrian's Island, a civic center, development of prison property or unknown projects.

Jefferson City collects a 1 percent general sales tax (about $10 million/year), a half percent parks sales tax (about $5 million/year), and the half percent CIST (about $5 million/year). The parks tax was authorized to operate our Parks and Forestry Department. However, parks is given an additional $2.5 million from the CIST. They also receive other general funds and pay a nominal amount for administrative services the city provides.

Parks is partnering with Lincoln on a wellness center. A lot of the space is for parks offices and most of us will never be able to use the facility. Parks is also proposing to give Lincoln $300,000 for tennis courts, even though LU dropped its tennis program. Parks does little, if anything, with programs like soccer, older boy's baseball, and has lost a lot of softball programs. Parks is autonomous and does not answer to the city. It does not seem as though Parks is being a good steward of funds and should not be receiving any CIST funds. Maybe we should rededicate their sales tax or make them answer to the city.

The city raised our gross receipts utility tax earlier this year with no specific plans for use of the funds and still hopes we pass the CIST.

The recent gross receipts utility tax increase was imposed without a popular vote. Now we are being asked to renew the CIST that allocates significant funding for unknown or unpopular expenditures. At least we have a say this time so please remember to vote in August,

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