by State Rep. J. Eggleston
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Unless you’ve just awoken from a coma, you know there is an election on the horizon. On Nov. 8 we will choose a president, U.S. senator, U.S. representative, state representative, governor, lieutenant governor, treasurer, attorney general, secretary of state, and a number of county officials.
But there will also be six statewide ballot measures to vote on, with topics ranging from sales tax to campaign finance reform to photo voter ID. Over the next few weeks leading up to the election, I will dedicate my capital reports to explaining some of the background and implications of these ballot amendments and propositions.
We will start with an easy, so far non-controversial, measure this week – Amendment 1, the Soil, Water & Parks Tax.
In 1984, voters approved a 1/10th percent sales tax, half of which would fund soil and water conservation efforts and the other half Missouri state parks. The “1/10th%” means you pay an extra dime in tax for every $100 you spend. Soil and water funds have primarily been spent to educate farmers on terracing and other soil conservation techniques. State park funds have been used to maintain our 43 state parks, including Big Lake, Crowder, and Wallace in Northwest Missouri.
Built into the amendment was an expiration date, upon which voters had to renew the tax. Voters renewed this 0.1% sales tax in 1988, 1996, and 2006, roughly by a 2/3 majority each time. If renewed again this year, the tax is estimated to generate about $90 million per year, and would get another vote in 2026.
As an example, the sales tax rate in Cameron is 6.725%. If Amendment 1 passes, the rate would remain at 6.725%. If Amendment 1 fails, the rate would drop to 6.625%, and there would no longer be dedicated funding for soil conservation or state parks. The legislature would have to cut funding for these projects, or appropriate replacement money from general revenue, leaving fewer funds for other budget items.
Farm Bureau has been the primary financial supporter of Amendment 1, with other agriculture and conservation groups chipping in. No organized opposition to Amendment 1 has surfaced.
For more info on Amendment 1, visit www.tinyurl.com/j9soawh. For info on all ballot measures in November, visit www.sos.mo.gov/petitions/2016BallotMeasures.