Springfield voters renew police-fire pension tax

A voter turnout of 9.6 percent yesterday was enough to renew the city of Springfield's police-fire pension sales tax for another five years.

The issue, which had been endorsed by the city, the Springfield Area Chamber of Commerce and others, asked whether Springfield residents would like to repeal the 3/4-cent Police-Fire Pension Sales Tax. A 'no' vote meant the voter favored renewing the tax.

The no votes had it, with 8,258 votes, or 76.2 percent, while 2,579 voters, or 23.8 percent, favored repealing the tax, according to the unofficial election results posted online at GreeneCountyMo.org.

During the next five years, the tax is projected to generate some $145 million to fund the city's police-fire pension fund and sunset in five years or whenever the pension plan is fully funded, whichever comes first.

"I’m hopeful this show of support reflects the city's credibility. We said what we’d do and we’ve done what we said,” City Manager Greg Burris said in a news release. “The competitive advantage this will bring Springfield may not be realized for a few years, but it will be significant when we will be compared to cities who are not facing up to this debt.”

After a 1-cent pension tax failed in early 2009, the city pledged to direct the tax dollars exclusively to the pension fund, withhold from making new tax proposals during the life of the pension tax and close the pension plan to new members. Voters approved the current 3/4-cent sales tax in November 2009, according to Springfield Business Journal archives.

Had voters not passed the renewal, the city would have had to increase its annual contribution to the plan by $9 million - out of a $73 million general fund budget - a move that would have required the city to reduce public safety services, according to the release.

As of mid-March, the closed pension fund was roughly 75 percent funded.

Nixa bond proposal
Despite some controversy from a St. Louis-based statewide group backed by conservative activist Rex Sinquefield, Christian County voters yesterday passed a $9.5 million bond issue for Nixa Public Schools.

The district plans to use the funding for a new junior high commons area and lunchroom, a new secure entrance, two tornado shelters and additional classroom space, as well as money to remodel band, music and science rooms at the school.

Mailings from St. Louis-based Missouri Club for Growth had asked voters to question the way the Nixa school district issues its bonds - as negotiated bond sales rather than a competitive bid process. Club for Growth officials said the negotiated bond sales path is cheaper, citing a state auditor's study. Nixa school officials refuted the group's claims, according to SBJ archives.

Yesterday, 3,006 voters, or 68.7 percent, voted the bond issue through, while 1,368, or 31.3 percent, stood opposed, according to Christian County's election results.

Close call
A Christian County ballot issue to enact a capital improvement tax increase lost by a slim margin, which could trigger a recount.

The vote, which required a super-majority of 57 percent to pass, failed by just 0.02 percentage points.

Christian County Clerk Kay Brown said a recount could be requested after the election results are certified, which she said she hopes to have done today. The city of Nixa would need to issue a petition to the circuit court to request a recount, she said.

The half-cent sales tax increase was predicted to generate $7.7 million during the next 10 years for capital improvements.