Dear Editor:
City - Jefferson City is considering increasing the gross utilities tax to pay for replacement of equipment. They will also ask us to renew the half-cent capital improvements sales tax in August. This sales tax generated about $150 million over the past 30 years for capital improvements.
Instead of raising the gross utilities tax, let's repurpose this sales tax to replace equipment and patch our streets. We also need a detailed accounting of past tax issues, showing how funds were promised to be used versus how they were used and what funds remain unspent.
County - In April 2016 Cole County will ask us to renew their half-cent capital improvements sales tax. The county has some proposals for use of the funds, but before this vote we should get the same accounting report for these funds.
Parks - Parks has their dedicated $5 million per year sales tax, but can't seem to get by on this money. They receive an additional $500,000 subsidy, each year, from other city funds including $250,000 from the city capital improvements sales tax. They were also promised a $1.5 million line of credit from city funds to help pay for a multipurpose center on Lincoln property. This project hasn't broken ground yet but the size of the facility was reduced from 70,000 square feet to 59,000 square feet due to lack of funds. It will only be available to the city half of the time.
Parks is also still pursuing Adrian's Island development. How much river access do we need? We have the Katy Trail, a walk bridge over the river, and the Noren Access/walk trail. Maybe we should repurpose the parks tax so we get better fiscal accountability or make the parks department an advisory group that answers to the city.
School Funding - Our school board has forced their expensive academies plan on the public. Whatever happened to teaching the basics and leaving the finishing to colleges? They purchased multi-million dollar property for a new school without, any voter approval. They are not being accountable and less than transparent about plans regarding a potential $150 million bond issue.
It's your money, so vote how you feel you should on these tax issues and talk to your school board, council person or the mayor about the other issues. We need more accountability and responsibility from these entities receiving and asking for more of our tax funds.