Chamber backs property tax renewal on today’s ballot

The Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce is asking its members to vote in favor of the city’s level property tax renewal on today’s ballot.

The renewal is one of three tax issues on the Greene County ballot. The county is asking for a new 1/2-cent general revenue sales tax and the city of Battlefield is seeking a local use tax at the same rate as its sales tax, 2.25 percent, according to a sample ballot on GreeneCountyMo.gov. Chamber spokeswoman Jennifer McClure said the organization is neutral on the Greene County tax proposal.

Springfield City Council voted 7-1 in August to send the tax renewal to the Nov. 7 ballot. The proposal would maintain a 27-cent tax per $100 of assessed value on property owned in the city. Renewals in 1999, 2001 and 2004 were passed by voters.

Officials plan to use the tax — which generates $8.5 million annually for capital projects — on upcoming projects including construction of a West Central fire station, contributions to a city-county jail expansion and historic City Hall renovations.

The county’s tax would generate $25.5 million annually to expand the Greene County Jail, address inefficiencies in the justice system, and improve animal control and mental health services, among other plans. County spokeswoman Trysta Herzog said the tax would not have a sunset.

The city of Battlefield’s proposition would add a tax to products bought outside of the state. The tax would close a gap left by a Missouri Supreme Court decision in 2012 that prohibits municipalities from colleting local sales taxes on out-of-state purchases, according to Battlefield’s website.