Sales tax renewal was biggest voter draw

A relatively quiet county sales tax renewal issue was the biggest - and for many, the only - issue Jefferson City voters faced Tuesday at the polls, which also were quiet.

Cole County Clerk Steve Korsmeyer said the turnout was 12.78 percent. He had predicted 10 percent turnout.

"I was very pleased because people were more familiar with their polling locations this time around," Korsmeyer said. "We did have one voting machine that went down, but we were able to get that replaced quickly."

Of the voters who did make it to the polls, most interviewed by the News Tribune said they supported the county's bid for another five-year extension of the half-cent sales tax. It would raise an estimated $31 million over five years, and 85 percent of that would be used for road and bridge projects. The remainder would go toward facility/equipment improvements.

"Nobody likes to pay taxes, but where would we be without doing it?" said Diana Durham, one of the few voters who trickled into the Ward 5, Precinct 1 polling place at the McClung Park indoor pavilion. "I can't complain about one cotton-pickin' thing if I don't get out and vote."

Also voting at McClung was Jon Geers, who said he voted for the county's half-cent sales tax.

That issue was the only choice on the ballot in the 5th Ward, where Councilman Larry Henry was up for re-election with no opposition.

"We don't tax ourselves as much as we ought to," Geers said. He said he doesn't hear much in the way of complaints about the county's sales tax for roads and bridges.

"I have no trouble with the county and what they do with the roads," he said.

After voting at St. Joseph Cathedral in the 3rd Ward, Jesse Hathcock said he thinks people who don't vote on smaller elections make a mistake.

"There's an issue on the ballot" for people to decide, he said.

John Allen, voting with his wife, Nancy, said Cole County officials have been "accountable" with their spending on previous sales taxes.

"They tell us what they're going to do, and they do it," he said. "If everybody in government did that, it would be wonderful."

In Ward 5, Beth Hofherr said she voted in favor of the half-cent tax increase because there's a clear need to keep it going.

"When you look at the city and all the infrastructure things it needs, nobody likes tax increases, but it has to be done," she said.

Her ward was among the three that had candidates run unopposed, leaving the proposition for the tax increase as the only item on the ballot.

"I think it's hard to ask people to do those thankless jobs," she said. "It takes a special person to do this job. It's a lot of work and not a lot of reward. It's good to have options, especially if there are people with differences in opinion. I admire people who do it."

Ken Bollinger, also of Ward 5, turned out for the election, and he said he's an avid voter.

He said he's been disappointed in the number of people who run for the local elections, especially the Jefferson City School Board, which had two candidates this election who didn't face opposition.

"The (school board) hasn't listened to the public, and it's done whatever they want to do," Bollinger said. "We have two new members (Pam Murray and Michael Couty) that will listen, but I want to get the rest of the board members off."

At Our Savior Lutheran in Ward 4, Clarence Brown, employee with Jefferson City Transit, said he voted to extend the county sales tax, adding it "has done a lot of improvements around the county as far as paving the blacktops and the bridge expansion that's going on, so I'd like to see more of that happen."

Brown said he came out to the polls to also vote for Glen Costales.

"He's honest and up front, and he supports the city."

Becky Cripe also voted for Costales and the county sales tax.

"Glen (Costales) lives down the street from us, and I think he's doing a great job as a City Council member. As far as Proposition A, as you drive around you see potholes and places where there could be improvements, and having some of the gravel roads converted to pavement will be beneficial in reducing some of the costs."

See additional election results in our Politics section.