Winter is past, those of us with basements have dried out the remnants of last weeks flooding, and now the Parks Department is wanting a sales tax increase to help pay for the land DONATION in the flood plain property of the 60/65 development.
This tax issue is COMPLICATED. The Parks Department petitioned the Greene County Commission for a 2/8 cent tax increase, pushing the total over and beyond what is already PERMANENT to the maximum allowed by Missouri State statute 1/2 [one-half] cent.
Based on past performance, this would generate 20 millionish in revenue. The additional 1/8 tax increase request to be on the August ballot will bring the total to 3/8 cent tax increase to provide storm-water funding in the flood plain property of 60/65. One doesn't need a calculator to determine the 900-acre 'gift' in the flood plain is going to be costly to the residents of Greene County/Springfield.
The two issues [totally separate] have now been tied together because of actions of the previous Greene County administration.
The first VOTE will be Monday by the Greene County Commission when they will decide to place [or not] the parks/storm-water issue on the August ballot. The writer of this blog is against any tax increase at this time. Most property owners received notice of property tax increase. Energy costs are up [especially painful for us whom decided to live outside Springfield when gas was below a buck and propane was .49 cents a gallon] and our property values have declined impacting personal overall net worth.
The second VOTE our community needs to be aware of and involved in is the Greene County Planning Board meeting on May 17. Please plan to attend the meeting.
Contact information for the Greene County Commissioners is:
JViebrock@greenecountymo.org
HBengsch@greenecountymo.org
RBentley@greenecountymo.org
Please contact the GCC immediately with your recommendation/thoughts on the Monday vote.
