Parks, soil tax set for Aug. 8 ballot

The tax has been in place since 1984 and is credited with the rebirth of Missouri’s state park system and critical improvements in soil erosion rates statewide.

Since the tax was first put in place, it has been renewed twice, first in 1988 and again in 1996, both times by a two-to-one margin.

“Part of the wisdom of the parks-and-soil tax is its sunset clause, which assures accountability to the citizens of Missouri,” said Ron Coleman, president of the Missouri Parks Association, in a news release. Coleman serves on the Citizens’ Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks, the volunteer organization spearheading the campaign to renew the tax.

The committee has been meeting since January to lay the groundwork for a statewide campaign to support the tax renewal, which will appear on the ballot as Amendment 1.

The parks-and-soil sales tax is one-tenth of 1 cent and generates about $82 million annually. Those funds are split evenly between state parks and soil conservation programs.

By law, the tax cannot be used for any other purpose. The state park system and soil conservation program are dependent on the tax; neither program receives any general revenue from the state.

“While Missourians clearly appreciate and support soil conservation, clean water and state parks, some aren’t aware of how we have funded these programs for the past two decades,” said Estil Fretwell of the Missouri Farm Bureau. Fretwell also serves on the citizens committee. “The fact is, Missouri had the second highest erosion rate in the country before the tax was put in place. Because of this earmarked funding source, we have cut that rate in half.”

State parks and agriculture represent two key economic drivers for the state, according to Dave Murphy, executive director of the Conservation Federation of Missouri and an active member of the citizens’ committee. “Our state parks attract 17 million visitors annually for an economic impact of $538 million. That affects every Missourian, just as clean water does through the soil conservation funds,” he said.