Last edited 9:29 a.m., April 3, 2012Greene County voters tomorrow will have the chance to weigh in on several issues, including a new Greene County sales tax, and to choose board members for entities including Springfield Public Schools and Ozarks Technical Community College.
The tax initiative, which has been
endorsed by the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce, would add a countywide 1/8-cent public safety sale tax for the purpose of proving law enforcement services in the county, according to a sample ballot found on the
Web site of the Greene County clerk's office. The issue would not increase the taxes of Greene County citizens, since a 1/8-cent countywide Parks Sales Tax expires in 2012.
For SPS, voters will select three individuals from a list of four to serve a three-year term on the district's board of education: David Awbrey, Kristen Callen, Andy Hosmer and Bruce Renner. The
chamber publicly threw its support behind Callen, the ministries coordinator at Messiah Lutheran Church; Hosmer, an attorney at Hosmer King & Royce LLC; and Renner, who serves as a special education consultant at Missouri State University. Awbrey has worked in journalism and education.
Three candidates are vying for two six-year terms on the OTC Board of Trustees: Greg DeLong, financial adviser with Edward Jones Investments in Springfield; Larry Snyder of Larry Snyder & Co.; and Larry Gates, who had a career in education, including at Missouri State University.
For the Republic School District, voters will choose whether to allow the district to issue $8 million in general obligation bonds for the purpose of building additional classrooms, an early childhood center and central office facility, and a transportation center, and renovating, repairing and improving existing school facilities and furnishings. If the issue is approved, the adjusted debt service levy of the district is estimated to remain unchanged at 84 cents per $100 of assessed valuation of real and personal property, according to the ballot language.
Area voters in various districts tomorrow also will have the option to approve:
- members for the R-II Willard, R-III Republic, R-VI Strafford, R-VIII Logan-Rogersville, Marion C. Early R-V and PCR-VI Pleasant Hope school boards;
- mayor and aldermen/council members for Ash Grove, Battlefield, Fair Grove, Republic, Rogersville, Strafford, Walnut Grove and Willard;
- fire protection district board members for Ash Grove, Logan-Rogersville and Strafford;
- a $2 million bond issue for the Fair Grove R-X School District;
- a $1.3 million loan by the Marion C. Early R-V School District to repair, renovate and improve existing buildings;
- a 0.5 percent city sales tax by the city of Battlefield for law enforcement purposes; and
- an additional tax of not more than 25 cents per $100 of assessed valuation for the Battlefield Fire Protection District.
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