The Jefferson County Council has given preliminary approval to place a measure for a sales tax to fund parks improvements on the April 2022 ballot.
If the council gives final approval to the measure, voters would be asked to approve a 3/8-cent sales tax to be instituted in unincorporated portions of the county.
The County Council voted 4-3 Aug. 23 to give preliminary approval to the ordinance that would place the question on the April ballot.
A final vote could come as early as Sept. 13. However, the vote could be delayed until Sept. 27 if the legislation is amended.
Council member Renee Reuter (District 2, Imperial), who voted against placing the issue on the ballot, said she would propose an amendment that would push the vote until August 2022, when the county will hold primary elections.
The county does not typically have elections in April, which are generally for municipal, school district and ambulance and fire protection district elections.
The cost to hold elections is split between the jurisdictions that have candidates or issues on the ballot.
“I don’t want the county to pay $75,000 for an election that will have less than an 8 percent turnout, which is what we had this April,” Reuter said. “If we’re going to really ask the question of people, we should do it in an August election. I think we need to be fiscally responsible.”
Councilman Brian Haskins (District 1, High Ridge) countered that the County Council had voted to place Proposition P, a 35-cent property tax for the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office, on the April 2018 ballot. It was approved with more than 64 percent of the vote.
“The sheriff had in place petitions with more than 800 signatures and a plan to spend that money with a committee in place to promote it,” Reuter said.
Council member Charles Groeteke (District 4, Barnhart), who also voted against advancing the sales tax ordinance, said he is considering his own amendment that would restrict the payment of the sales tax to District 1, which Haskins represents.
“I haven’t seen evidence that this sales tax would hold a lot of benefit for the constituents of my district,” Greoteke said.
Haskins has in the past unsuccessfully promoted tax issues with the intent of building a recreation center and indoor pool along the Hwy. 30 corridor.
However, he said Jefferson County Parks Director Tim Pigg and the Parks Board would decide how to spend the estimated $5 million a year a 3/8-cent countywide sales tax would generate.
A countywide property tax of 2.73 cents per $100 of assessed valuation funds almost all the Jefferson County Parks Department’s $1 million budget, with some money coming from grants and user fees.
Haskins also has said his focus has been on placing the issue on the ballot, adding that during the campaign for the tax, an organizing committee could discuss how the revenue might be spent.
Council member Phil Hendrickson (District 3, Arnold) cast the other dissenting vote.
“Until I see a courthouse and jail funded, I can’t support this,” he said. “It’s not because I’m against parks, but I am against the priority. I don’t believe we can ask people in April to approve a tax for parks and then turn around and ask for money for a much-needed courthouse and jail.”
Council member Tracey Perry (District 5, Festus) said she supports the idea of placing the sales tax measure before voters.
“I’m pro-smart development,” she said. “Parks are an essential entity to positive growth in a community. Parks and recreation services are often cited as an important factor when families are looking for a livable community. I’m not for raising taxes. I’m not for burdening property owners with additional taxes. I’m in favor of allowing the public to decide at the polls.”
Five members of the public spoke before the vote, most of them opposing the measure.
“It’s dimwitted to spend money on this. Please stop asking us for money for luxuries the county can’t afford,” said Gloria Link of Festus.
Lori Arons of Imperial said now is not the time to ask taxpayers for more money.
“We’re still in the middle of a pandemic that has caused so many businesses to close, and now you want to raise taxes. Really? How do we know that in the future, the County Council won’t come back and say they need more funds for this project?”
John Giancola of Cedar Hill agreed, saying details about how the sales tax money would be spent are fuzzy.
“Generally, I’m in favor of targeted tax increases, but with this bill, the target is broader than the base,” he said.
Linda Van de Reit, who lives in the Jefferson County portion of Eureka, said she didn’t see how putting money into parks would bolster the economy.
“Where are all the jobs? The County Council should be promoting good-paying jobs,” she said. “Real estate taxes, sales taxes, gas taxes – people are tired of every time government officials want something, we have to pay more. I want to see jobs in Jefferson County.”
Sherrie Marion of House Springs is the vice president of the Parks Board, but she said she rarely tells people that because she thinks the county’s parks system is lacking.
“In in my estimation, our parks are an embarrassment,” she said. “That’s not a reflection on the Parks Department staff, which does a very good job with the little funding they are allowed to have.”
Marion said whenever she approaches officials with an idea for an enhancement, it’s rejected because there’s no money to fund it.
“It takes every cent we do have to keep the current programs going, to maintain our current parks and to keep second- and third-hand equipment running,” she said. “I hope that in the future we do have a rec center and a water park, but this Parks Department requires adequate funding to function in an adequate manner.”
She then addressed Reuter, Groeteke and Hendrickson specifically.
“The three of you who consistently vote down parks improvements need to adopt a countywide community mindset,” she said.