Ballot issues: Cities
Several cities have put tax issues on the April 2 ballot, while Jefferson City’s ballot includes questions about term limits and other city charter issues.
Voters will decide whether to eliminate the lifetime limit of eight years of service on the city council and instead implement new rules saying that anyone who has served four consecutive term must take a break – two years for council members and four years for mayors.
Jefferson City term limits
Voters will decide whether to eliminate the lifetime limit of eight years of service on the city council and instead implement new rules saying that anyone who has served four consecutive term must take a break – two years for council members and four years for mayors.
Jefferson City prosecutor
Approval would amend the city charter to allow a four-sevenths majority of the city council to remove the city prosecutor for lack of qualifications, violation of the charter, felonies and misdemeanors involving “moral turpitude,” default to the city, neglect of office or incapacity.
Jefferson City conflicts of interest question
The city council is asking voters to change rules on conflicts of interest for city officials or employees who serve on the boards of not-for-profits, volunteer organizations and other political subdivisions.
New Bloomfield
New Bloomfield wants to increase its sales tax by 1 percent from the current 7.225 percent. The money would go into general revenue.
The city is also asking voters to let it use $680,000 in bond proceeds to pay for building and improving streets including stormwater drainage.
Mexico
The city of Mexico is asking for a half-cent sales tax to pay for roads and other capital improvements. The tax would start in July 2020.
Jamestown
The city is asking voters to increase the sales tax rate consumers pay there from 6.475 percent to 7.475 percent.
Tipton
Tipton city officials want to impose a use tax equal to the sales tax of 1.75 percent. Use taxes are taxes bought in another state but used locally. The Tipton use tax would not be required if such items cost less than $2,000 per year.
Tipton also is asking voters for a half-cent sales tax to fund parks and stormwater control. The increase would bring the rate paid in the city to 8.725 percent.
Stover
Stover seeks a 1 percent tax increase, bringing the sales tax paid there on retail purchases to 8.225 percent if approved.
Versailles
The city of Versailles wants to change its half-cent parks and stormwater sales tax to a general revenue sales tax that would also fund public works projects. A condition of the tax, however, is that 70 percent of the money or $100,000, whichever is greater, has to go to parks. Approval would not increase the current tax rate.
Dixon
The city of Dixon, population 1,549 at the 2010 census, is asking for a half-cent sales tax to pay for law enforcement. The increase would bring the tax paid on purchases in the city to 7.45 percent.
