Grassroots effort backs renewal of parks-and-soil sales tax

Supporters from across Missouri gathered today at Jefferson Landing, a Missouri Historic Site, to kick-off the statewide campaign to pass Amendment 1 on Aug. 8. Farmers, bicyclists, canoeists and campers were in the crowd in Jefferson City and heard from a wide range of individuals working on behalf of Amendment 1, including those in agriculture, outdoor recreation, natural resources and conservation.

The constitutional amendment will appear on the Aug. 8 ballot, giving Missouri voters the opportunity to reauthorize the one-tenth-of-one-cent sales tax which has supported Missouri’s state parks and soil erosion control programs for more than two decades. Since that time, the state has worked to bring its state parks system up to standard and to cut its soil erosion rate by half. Although it is just one tenth of one cent, the statewide sales tax has produced a reliable revenue stream that is dedicated to state parks and soil conservation. These programs are dependent on the parks-and-soil sales tax and receive no other state funding.

Amendment 1 will give Missouri voters the opportunity to reauthorize this funding measure which is split equally between state parks and soil conservation programs. It will be the fourth time Missourians have had the opportunity to vote on this dedicated revenue source. This is because the funding measure contains a sunset clause that requires that the tax come before voters at regular intervals for renewal, assuring accountability to taxpayers, with voters weighing in on the tax’s effectiveness and efficiency.

AMENDMENT 1 FACT SHEET

For more information contact:

Citizens’ Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks; Estil Fretwell, Missouri Farm Bureau, 573-893-1467; Ron Coleman, Missouri Parks Association, 636-451-6090; Dave Murphy, Conservation Federation of Mo., 573-634-2322

Amendment 1 gives voters opportunity to renew parks-and-soil sales tax on Aug. 8

Since 1984, Missourians have funded state parks and soil erosion control programs through this one-tenth-of-one-cent sales tax.

* Funds are split equally between state parks and soil and water conservation programs.

* By law, these funds cannot be used for any other purpose.

* These programs are dependent on the parks-and-soil sales tax and receive no other state funding.

The result: Efficient, effective, accountable operation of our state parks and soil and water conservation programs.

* Our parks now serve 17 million visitors each year for an annual economic impact of $538 million.

* Our soil erosion rate has been cut in half since Missourians first approved this funding measure.

* Our water quality has been enhanced by reducing the flow of sediment into our streams.

These visible results are why Missourians reauthorized this fraction-of-a-cent sales tax in 1988 and again in 1996 by a two-to-one margin.

* Amendment 1 will be on the ballot statewide Aug. 8.

* This is not a new tax, but instead the renewal of the sales tax.

* The parks-and-soil sales tax has provided the sole state funding of our state parks and soil and water conservation programs since 1984.