Your Opinion: Be upfront with city residents about tax increase

Dear Editor:

Once again another proposed tax increase for Jefferson City residents will come before the City Council, less than two months after the Transformation tax failed.

More than likely the City Council will rubber stamp this proposal and we'll be voting again in August (they won't wait until November.) Makes one think this City Council is addicted to tax increases.

Based on the article in the News Tribune, this is a definite tax increase. The fire department currently receives 17 percent of the revenue generated by property taxes ($875,000 in the last fiscal year), but will receive $2.6 million annually from a half-cent sales tax. Even by lowering city property taxes by 17 percent, this is still a tax increase of $1.7 million per year.

I don't care if funding is moved from sales tax F, G, etc. to the new sales tax for the fire department; the city will be receiving $1.7 million more in revenue every year than it currently receives.

If this isn't a tax increase, I don't know what is. (Also, my figures are based on information from the county collectors office.) If the fire department needs additional funding, then be upfront with the citizens of Jefferson City, but don't act like this isn't a tax increase: it is.