Jefferson City and Cole County officials are getting ready for the next installment of the half-cent capital improvements sales tax, which will be on the ballot for both entities next year.
At the Finance Committee meeting Thursday, Mayor Carrie Tergin said the county is making preparations to have the renewal of the county sales tax on the April ballot, while the city plans to have its renewal on the August ballot. Although city officials likely will not meet until after Jan. 1 to discuss a full list of projects, Tergin said city and county staff have been in discussions on possible joint projects for the next installment.
Tergin then presented a draft list of proposed joint projects she put together with Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman. The list contains $11 million worth of projects inside Jefferson City, with the city and county each chipping in $5.5 million.
The draft list has not been approved by the full County Commission or the full City Council and could change as discussions move forward.
"This is kind of our starting point," Tergin said.
Third Ward Councilman Bob Scrivner said he has heard from residents who want to see issues on Missouri Boulevard addressed, adding it may be difficult as Missouri Boulevard is under the jurisdiction of the Missouri Department of Transportation, not the city or county.
"There's going to be citizen input that wants to see Missouri Boulevard addressed," Scrivner said. "It's not going to go away."
Scrivner said he's heard from those who want to see a sidewalk along Dix Road near Walgreen's and perhaps a pedestrian crossing as well.
In other business, Jefferson City sales taxes have continued to exceed projections, and the city's revenue forecast model is now predicting an end-of-the-year surplus of approximately $1.7 million for the 2015 fiscal year.
(Though the city's 2016 fiscal year began Nov. 1, sales tax receipts are reported several months after being collected, meaning the 2015 fiscal year has not yet been closed out.)
November sales tax receipts, which reflect the September reporting period, show the city's 1 percent general sales tax came in approximately $10,700 above projections. The general sales tax is projected to end the year with a surplus of $693,812.
The half-cent capital improvement sales tax came in $5,696 above projections and is projected to end the year with a surplus of $352,481.
The half-cent parks sales tax came in $5,912 above projections and is projected to end the year with a $355,090 surplus.
The city's revenue forecast model is projecting the 2015 budget will end with a surplus of roughly $1.7 million.
All of the financial documents from November are available online at jeffersoncitymo.gov/government/financial_reports.php.