Videos of last week's candidate forums hosted by the News Tribune are available at newstribune.com/NTtoday.
While all nine candidates seeking contested seats on the Jefferson City Council believe funding will be one of the biggest issues they face if elected, their views diverge when it comes to how to raise those needed funds.
The Jefferson City Council is currently discussing the idea of placing two sales tax propositions on the August ballot. One would extend the city's capital improvement half-cent sales tax for infrastructure needs; the other would be a quarter- cent sales tax dedicated to public safety needs.
The council candidates are fairly equally divided as to whether those tax proposals would be the best way to address the city's funding needs.
Ward 2
For Ward 2 Councilwoman Laura Ward, who is running for her fourth term, taxes are tools to help address the needs of the community, and it's important to give the community the right to choose when it comes to taxes.
Ward said she supports both taxes the city is currently considering.
"I always think it's important to bring those types of taxes to the community for a vote," she said. "That allows (voters) to do their research and see how the money has been used and to see if that's something they want to continue to have in place to help improve their community."
For instance, she said, one project being discussed if the capital improvement sales tax is extended is replacement of the High Street viaduct.
A public safety sales tax, Ward said, could help address equipment needs and retention issues, particularly with the Police Department.
Candidate Edith Vogel, who served on the council from 1999-2007, said she isn't a fan of regularly adding more taxes, especially sales taxes.
"I'm a conservative, so taxes, I know, are a necessary part of seeing things being accomplished," she said. "It's burdensome. I know you have to have it. I know it's a means of income to run the city, but it seems like every little small thing that the city wants to do to make things better, they tack on a sales tax."
Vogel said she supports continuing pre-existing taxes such as the capital improvement sales tax. She said she's hesitant about the proposed public safety sales tax and needs more information before deciding one way or the other about it.
Ward 3
Candidate Mary Schantz said the city needs to be cautious about increasing taxes, but there are times when it needs to be done. For instance, she said, she supports the proposed public safety sales tax and thinks it serves as a good example of a time when a dedicated tax is necessary.
"The money is going for a clear and specific purpose that everyone has come to a consensus around it being needed," she said. "In this case, it would obviously be to raise salaries for the police and fire and to make certain that they have the equipment."
Schantz said she believes each tax proposal needs to be evaluated on its own merits and should be voted on by citizens.
It's also important, she said, to recognize situations may change.
Some, such as the capital improvement sales tax, are voted on by residents every five years in order to continue. Schantz said she supports extending the sales tax.
"It may be that you pass a tax to address a real and present need and five years later it's no longer a clear and pressing need," she said.
Ward 3 candidate Scott Spencer said it's important to have a balanced tax policy between sales and property taxes.
"As far as sales tax or property tax, I think it's good to kind of have a balanced funding sources, and you want to have a good source for property taxes and also have a good sales tax base as well," he said.
Spencer voiced support for extending the capital improvement sales tax and adding the public safety sales tax, but said the city needs to have a conversation about cutting the funding the Jefferson City Parks, Recreation and Forestry Department receives from the capital improvement sales tax.
The Parks Department has its own sales tax, which brings in approximately $5.5 million a year and receives $500,000 annually from the capital improvement sales tax.
Spencer said that's money that could be going to repair roads or address stormwater needs.
"I would rather see the Parks and Recreation sales tax be voted on every five years and have the capital improvement sales tax without a sunset," he said.
He recognizes that kind of change would need to go through the proper process.
Ward 4
Nobody likes taxes, Ward 4 candidate Derrick Spicer said, but some are necessary for the life of the city.
The important thing, he said, is to make sure the taxes are going for the right thing.
There are pros and cons to taxes that require extensions by voters and those that don't sunset, he said.
"At the end of the day, everybody would want to vote on something and then not have to worry about it," he said. "Then again, if you vote on something five years from now, people may have a different view on it. They may need to revisit it in five years."
Spicer said he supports extending the capital improvement sales tax and adding the public safety sales tax as ways to push for economic development.
"We're in a situation where (with) the public safety tax, we would be able to buy equipment, buy cameras," he said. "More equipment for economic growth. We want to grow. We can't grow without more officers. We can't grow without better paying jobs for these guys."
His opponent, candidate Leonard Steinman, said he would not support either tax motion because he doesn't agree with where the money would go.
"(Law enforcement) already make enough money," Steinman said. "They drive their cars home, they park them in front of their house, and it reduces my property if I want to sell my property because nobody wants to live next to a policeman."
Ward 4 candidate Ryan Estes said taxation is a necessary evil because it pays for the essential services within the city.
However, he continued, taxation should be kept as minimal as possible.
"One, people need that money," Estes said. "Two, I think over-taxation deters economic growth and makes it harder for people to buy essential products. It's really about finding a balance of an appropriate amount of tax to fund necessary services."
Most of the time, he said, it seems like municipalities introduce a new tax when it should be spending money more responsibly.
Estes said he wouldn't support either tax measure for that reason.
"I think we can spend our money more efficiently," he said. "I think funding for municipal service work is paramount. I think equipment, especially for body cams, is hugely important. I don't think we have a problem in our community with police, but I think body cams would get us ahead of any potential problems. It would ensure accountability both by the officer and the citizen."
When a tax is necessary, he said, there should be a certain period of time after which the residents would vote on whether to extend it.
"I would much prefer a sunset clause so that people can decide whether or not the tax still serves their needs," Estes said.
Ward 5
Ward 5 Councilman Mark Schreiber, who is running for his fourth term, said nobody likes to have their taxes raised, but sometimes, it is necessary.
He supports both extending the capital improvement sales tax and implementing a public safety sales tax.
"If citizens talk about the needs that we have, infrastructure, cameras for the police department and other needs, then where does that money come from?" he said. "It doesn't come from the federal government. It comes from our citizens on the local level, and we all have to be willing to upgrade those things as necessary."
Schreiber said he prefers to have taxes regularly return to the residents for a vote so they can decide if they should be extended.
"For those things to go on forever, I really don't think that's a good idea," he said.
Taxation is a painful topic, he said, but if the community is going to maintain the standard of living, it has to be willing to contribute to that.
Candidate Alicia Edwards said some taxes are necessary to help take care of the city.
She said residents should be able to vote regularly on whether to continue a tax.
"A lot of things can change in five years," she said. "I don't think it should be an ongoing tax that we never get to say so, because once the things that the tax is for have been accomplished, where's that extra money going to?"
Edwards said she supports both the capital improvement sales tax and the public safety sales tax because they can be used for things residents say they need.
"You want body cams, but they have a price tag. You want better streets and roadways; they have a price tag," she said. "It's a way we give back to get the things we're needing in our city."