Scott County voters to decide on new sales tax

BENTON, Mo. — Voters in Scott County will be asked to approve a half-cent countywide sales tax when they step up to the polls during the Tuesday, Nov. 7, election.

Scott County Presiding Commissioner Danny Tetley said he and fellow commissioners, Donnie Kiefer and Terry Cole, have been evaluating the county's revenue and needs because of the rising costs of operations and the need for competitive salaries for employees.

"Inflation has driven costs through the roof for everything," Tetley said. "The county is no different. Expenses have gone through the roof, and revenues are tight. It's put a strain on our budget. We can't do the things we want to do out in the county."

Among expenses Tetley said the county has are repairing roads, bridges, maintaining the courthouse, renovating the judicial building, retaining employees with competitive salaries and building the reserve fund.

"All of those things add up to needing more revenue," Tetley said. "We thought it would be better to ask for a sales tax."

Officially, voters will be asked the following question on ballots: "Shall the County of Scott impose a countywide sales tax of one-half of one percent providing for the general revenues and roads and bridges of the County?"

The one-half cent sales tax would generate approximately $2.4 million annually.

Tetley noted Lambert's Cafe in Sikeston and Boomland in Benton are the county's top sales-tax revenue generators.

"We would rather let those people who travel that Interstate 55 corridor who live out of the county and out of state help us support this," Tetley said.

If approved, the sales tax revenue would be divided into four categories, Tetley said.

Thirty-five percent of the proposed sales tax would be dedicated to improving roads and bridges as county highways require constant maintenance even after they are paved. Some bridges require replacement, including the County Road 468 bridge east of Crowder, which is currently closed.

"We have one bridge (County Road 468) that has been condemned over a year with an estimated expense of $350,000 to $400,000 to repair," Tetley said, citing an example. "Farmers on that road also have to travel 5 and 6 miles around the bridge to get to their fields."

Thirty-five percent of the new tax revenue would be dedicated to employee retention and salaries to ensure county employees' salaries and benefits are more competitive with other industries. Tetley said there are county employees and those even approaching retirement who make as much as a teenager starting at a fast-food restaurant.

Twenty percent of the tax revenue would go to building and grounds upkeep. County buildings require constant maintenance, including the jail and courthouse, Tetley said.

"We have well over a 100-year-old courthouse that needs a lot of TLC and a lot of attention," Tetley said. "We need to remodel a judicial building so we can get more people through the system faster and not housing them at the jail longer than we have to."

Ten percent of the sales tax revenue would be dedicated to building the county's reserve fund. The county's overall budget is $20 million with only $1.1 million in reserves.

"We would save an additional $1.3 million over the next 10 years for emergency purposes," Tetley said.

In April, Scott County voters approved the extension of a half-cent sales tax dedicated to helping the county with its day-to-day operations. Just like the renewed sales tax, this proposed new sales tax will help lessen the burden on Scott County residents, Tetley said.

"Keeping the promise to voters, Scott County does not levy a property tax," Tetley said. "This tax keeps that promise and ensures that visitors from outside of Scott County will pay their share of the sales tax when traveling on Interstate 55 through our county."

Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. Tuesday, and voters may vote at their normal polling place, according to Scott County Clerk Allen M. Seabaugh. Voters may also cast an absentee ballot in Seabaugh's office at the courthouse in Benton.