Fri, Aug 08 2008
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Published April 08, 2008 10:33 pm - MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — Voters in Lawrence County overwhelmingly approved a special tax on adult cabarets. Lawrence County voters give nod to cabaret tax By Wally Kennedy wkennedy@joplinglobe.com MOUNT VERNON, Mo. — Voters in Lawrence County overwhelmingly approved a special tax on adult cabarets. The ordinance received 2,220 “yes” votes to 996 “no” votes, according to complete but unofficial results. The approval margin was 69 percent. A simple majority was needed. Of the 23,085 registered voters in the county, 3,436 — or 14.9 percent — participated in Tuesday’s election. The figure includes absentee ballots. The tallies would indicate that 220 of the voters did not cast ballots on the cabaret issue. A spokeswoman for Gary Emerson, clerk of Lawrence County, said the turnout was slightly higher than expected, and was driven by the proposed tax on the cabarets and issues related to school boards. Voters had mixed opinions about the special tax. Jack George, 86, of Pierce City, who is retired from the field of agribusiness, said: “I voted for it. I really think those places of entertainment are out of place, and I think the majority of people feel that way. Certain people enjoy that entertainment, but the great majority would prefer to see them out of business.” Gary Gunter, 73, of Pierce City, who is retired from the military, said: “I have been undecided on the tax. I favor free enterprise, but at the same time I’m not fond of the morals of these particular endeavors. I probably will end up being opposed to it. I’m concerned about the use of a selective tax.” The Lawrence County Commission received permission from voters to levy a special tax of 10 percent on a cabaret’s gross receipts. The special taxation will last for a period not to exceed four years. The revenue will be used to investigate the backgrounds of the employees of the businesses and for general law-enforcement use by the Sheriff’s Department. The special-taxation provision is part of a state statute that regulates health departments. The measure would be put back to the voters again in three years. Moving east? 
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