Scott City officials push to extend sales tax

On Aug. 3, voters in Scott City will decide whether to continue paying a one-quarter percent sales tax intended for capital improvements city officials say are urgently needed.

At its July 6 meeting, the city council passed a resolution that outlined a plan for the use of the sales tax revenue. In the next two weeks, fliers with this information will be distributed to the public.

"I think if people see what we need, they'll approve it," said Scott City Mayor Tim Porch.

The resolution lists the following as the objectives behind the sales tax:

Repairs to the municipal building that houses city hall offices and the Scott City police and fire departments; as well as some new equipment for the fire and police departments, Scott City public works and the parks and recreation departments.

Acquiring a parcel of land on Main Street referred to as the caboose parking lot.

Acquiring, designing and implementing reconstruction of areas along Main Street West in order to accommodate traffic congestion at the intersection of Main Street and Interstate 55.

According to Porch, the top priority would be the repairs to the municipal building -- specifically, fixing the roof, which he said is in desperate need of repair.

The city has made attempts to replace the roof, but the price tag of $20,000 to $30,000 has been too high.

Currently, the sales tax generates about $70,000 a year for the city, so replacing the roof would take up almost half a year's sales tax revenue.

If the tax extension is not approved, Porch said the city might have to look at making cuts elsewhere in order to replace the roof. "That's somebody's budget that gets smacked," Porch said.

The purchase of the caboose parking lot, which the city has leased from the railroad for ten years, would probably cost around $20,000.

Porch said the city is interested in buying the parking lot because, over the last 15 years, Scott City residents have invested a lot of time and money into the property.

The city would also like to purchase railroad property along Main Street in order to create a center turn lane at the Main Street and I-55 intersection. Porch said he is not sure how much this purchase would cost, but the city would not have to pay for the road work, which would be done by the Missouri Department of Transportation.

Along with the list of capital improvements, the resolution the city passed also states that if the sales tax extension is approved, the motor vehicle license tax will be discontinued and the city will use 15 percent of the money raised from the tax to cover the discontinuance.

The sales tax was first passed by voters in 1998 and the money raised was used to purchase a new fire truck worth $290,000, as well as some additional fire equipment. Porch said the purchases could not have been made without the sales tax and that it was money well-spent.

"They're equipped very well now. Our fire department is equipped as well as any city fire department," he said.

The tax expires in April 2005 whether or not the extension is approved by voters. If approved, the tax will be in effect for seven years.

kalfisi@semissourian.com

335-6611, extension 182