STODDARD COUNTY WORKERS TO DECIDE LOCAL USE TAX

BLOOMFIELD -- Voters in Stoddard County will decide Tuesday whether to impose a local use tax on out-of-state purchases.

The tax would be at the same rate as the local sales tax -- currently 1.375 percent -- and would rise, fall or be repealed in accordance with the local sales tax.

The purpose of the tax is to eliminate the sales tax advantage non-Missouri vendors have over local vendors. The tax has to be passed by both city and county voters to be approved. Bloomfield previously passed the tax. Dexter, Advance and Bernie voters are considering the measure in this election.

Filing a use tax return would be required only of persons purchasing more than $2,000 in goods from out-of-state vendors within a calendar year.

Shelley (Edwards) McClintock and Kenneth Carney are competing for the position of collector in Liberty township. Voters in the township will choose between Herman "Jack" Jackson, Charley "Pete" Pyle, Kenneth Fortner, Jimmy Thompson and Sidney Johnson to sit on the township board. Two will be elected.

Norman Capps is running for Liberty Township clerk and Charlie E. Jennings for treasurer/trustee. Both are unopposed.

In Bloomfield, Charles C. Glass, Robert A. McRoy, Luther Burns and Rickie A. Rhine are competing for mayor. Incumbent Ryan Mayo decided not to run.

Hazel D. Williams is unopposed in the race for collector and Tony Thorn is unopposed for Ward 2 alderman.

In Castor Township, incumbent Jerry D. Moore, Patrick R. Merick, Verlon Phillips, Greg Lintz and Kevin Murdaugh are running for the township board. Two will be elected.

Incumbent Glen A. Hollis, Jeffrey S. Dixon and David Gard are the candidates for township treasurer/trustee. One will be elected.

Lana Sizemore and Bill Poeppelmeyer are the candidates for collector.

Township voters also will decide whether to allow its general road district to authorize an additional tax levy of 35 cents on one hundred dollars assessed valuation for four years.