Columbia city leaders shift dollars for proposed tax renewal

With more than $122 million in projects on the table, Columbia city leaders decided which ones they wanted to present to voters when renewal for a sales tax comes up in August.

The quarter-cent Capital Improvement Sales Tax faces renewal this summer for the first time since November 2005. The tax helps pay for projects such as transportation and public safety. City manager Mike Matthes said through the last decade, the tax brought in an average of $6.3 million a year.

The Columbia City Council met Wednesday night to discuss the dozens of projects on the drafted list. The group spoke most about the most expensive item – a $13.7 million project to expand Forum Blvd. between Woodrail Drive and Chapel Hill Road. Public Works Director John Glascock said the removal and rebuilding of the bridge over Hinkson Creek makes the project so expensive.

Fourth Ward Councilman Ian Thomas singled out the project, calling it “grossly over-designed.” He hoped the city could find a way to curb some of the traffic and safety problems at the entrance to the Missouri Athletic Center with a cheaper design. The long-term cost of maintaining the large roads could also be mitigated with investments into non-motorized transportation on those roads, Thomas said.

The project runs from the Fourth Ward into the Fifth Ward. Laura Nauser, the latter ward’s representative, defended the project, along with the $12.3 million expansion of Nifong Blvd. from Providence Road to Forum Blvd. She said the growing population in the southwest part of town had waited a long time for improvements to the roads there, and the city needed to expand the roads to avoid “playing catch up” with growth.

Eventually, the group agreed to move $1 million from the project towards several traffic calming projects throughout town.

The list also contains several public safety measures. A new police substation in the northeast part of the city would cost more than $9 million. The proposed CIP also includes improvements to three fire stations, and replacing ten fire trucks nearing 20 years of use.

The city council will approve the final draft of the list at its meeting next Monday.