Fire Department sales tax to be introduced

Friday, March 16, 2012

The proposal for a new sales tax to fund the Fire Department has reached the council level with the intention of going on the August ballot.

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Fire Department sales tax ordinance

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The ordinance is part of the Fire Department improvement plan, which was first presented last month. It proposes a switch from property taxes to a one-fourth-cent sales tax as a dedicated funding mechanism for the department. According to the plan, the switch would mean a 17 percent reduction to property taxes as it eliminates the 9.61-cent contribution to the Fireman’s Pension Fund.

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Fire Department sales tax

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If the tax is passed, the department would no longer receive funding from the five-year capital improvement sales tax, starting with the next installment of the city’s half-cent sales tax for capital improvements, which would allow more public safety funds from the tax to go to law enforcement. Currently, 19 percent of the half-cent sales tax approved by voters last August are slated to go toward public safety, split between the Police Department and Fire Department.

According to the proposed plan, the tax could fund fire suppression and emergency equipment, firefighting and EMS training, communications and technology equipment, an apparatus lease and replacement program, firefighters’ LAGERS retirement contribution and improvements at fire stations.

The tax is estimated to raise more than $2.6 million per year and would have no sunset provision. According to data gathered at city-data.com and the Internal Revenue Service website, Brandt said the proposal would bring an average annual saving of $24.98 in property taxes, while adding an average of $29 annually to each household in sales taxes.

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herewego 1 year, 2 months ago

Gas up, sewer and water rates up, electric rates going up, why does JC want to heap more taxes on their voters? Why didn't they understand NO when we voted the last tax increase down... N O M O R E T A X E S !!! Just say NO... NO means NO. What is it about the word NO you do not understand...

JCLifer 1 year, 2 months ago

The water rate increase just approved was only 47% more!

Gasoline in Jefferson City is only 20 cents/gallon higher than Osage Beach!

Come on, you can pay more taxes!!! If you are breathing, you can pay more!!!!

rodinman 1 year, 2 months ago

Madeline Leroux, is the 17% reduction from the Jefferson City tax portion of the 2011 Cole County Real Estate tax bill? If so then please correct your writing as a reader could presume that there would be a 17% reduction of the entire bill. I'm sure the porponents of the tax bill want the voters to believe they will get 17% redcution in their entire property tax bill. When in reality, if the tax were to pass, they would only get a reduction on the Jefferson City tax portion of the tax bill. For me it would be about $28.50 rather than $250. A significant difference.

mleroux 1 year, 2 months ago

Yes, the 17 percent reduction to property taxes is only a reduction to Jefferson City property taxes.

Madeleine Leroux, News Tribune Reporter

JCLifer 1 year, 2 months ago

Where are they getting the $29 added figure? If your are spending only $5800 in Jefferson City your additional sales tax would be $29. However, I would bet the average household spends a whole lot more than just $5800 a year in this town.

If an average family income around here is $50,000, I would think that at least $25,000 would be subject to sales taxes- remember, we pay sales taxes on telephones, cable TV,, water, electricity, etc.

Please correct me if I am wrong. I have always been very weak in Math as I did not get a very good Math education from JCPS. I could be very wrong here, but I don't think so.

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