Miami voters approve sales tax proposal

Local News

Related Photos

Joan Thomas, of Miami, lets there be no mistake that she voted Tuesday. In addition to helping nominate state and federal candidates for the November elections, Miami residents on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved a sales tax hike to raise revenue for street repairs and maintenance. Globe/Gary Crow

Discussion

July 27, 2010

By Scott Meeker and Will Blanchard news@joplinglobe.com The Joplin Globe Wed Jul 28, 2010, 08:24 AM CDT

MIAMI, Okla. — Residents voted overwhelmingly in favor Tuesday of a 0.65 percent sales tax increase earmarked for street projects.

The tax issue passed with 1,572 “yes” votes to 676 “no” votes.

The city’s sales tax will rise to 3.65 percent. Combined with county and state sales tax rates, the total sales tax within Miami’s city limits will be 9.5 percent. There is a 15-year sunset on the tax increase, which is estimated to generate between $10 million and $12 million over its life.

Mayor Brent Brassfield said Tuesday night that he was surprised by the margin of victory this time out, and that it was the result of a lot of hard work by city officials and staff members. Voters last year rejected a proposed sales tax for street projects.

“I think we were really effective in getting out the facts and figures this time,” Brassfield said. “That was the No. 1 reason. And the organization for this initiative was 100 percent better than last time. Last time, I made one presentation to one social organization. This time, we gave 10 different presentations.”

Voters expressed frustration with the condition of city streets as they left the polls on Tuesday afternoon.

“I voted for it, because the roads are so dad-gum bad, I can’t even get to my house,” said Miami resident Jack Hayes.

Ruth Robinson said she supported the tax because she’s tired of having to pay for costly repairs to her vehicle from damage caused by driving over potholes and cracks that are a common sight on local roads.

“Every time, I fall in a hole when I drive somewhere,” Robinson said. “I know it’s the highest tax anywhere, but what are you going to do?”

Pauline Sanders agreed that the streets need work, but she doesn’t believe increasing the city’s sales tax is the way to go.

“I have appealed to our City Council three times that Miami apply for a stimulus package or federal grant,” she said. “Sapulpa got it, and they fixed their streets and sidewalks.”

Brassfield said he hopes work can commence by the beginning of October.

“There are several things that will need to fall in place quickly,” he said, such as putting together an oversight committee for the project and establishing priorities for street repairs.

Those priorities will be guided by an analysis of municipal streets undertaken in 2006 by a Utah-based firm, Iworks. That undertaking resulted in a block-by-block assessment of all 112 miles of city streets.

Last time out

A proposed 1-cent sales tax for Miami street repairs was rejected by a margin of 53 votes in 2009. The vote was 327 in favor and 380 opposed.

Text Only

Local News

Water company cites reconnections
The May 22 tornado has caused a dramatic drop in water usage for the Missouri American Water Co., but things are starting to turn around — one reconnection at a time.

February 10, 2012 1 Photo
Survivor of ’78 Connor collapse dead at age 64
A big story in the history of Joplin was the 1978 collapse of the Connor Hotel at Fourth and Main streets. Alfred Summers, the man at the heart of that story, died at 6:41 a.m. Friday at St. John’s Mercy Hospital in Joplin after an illness. He was 64.

February 10, 2012
County asks for dismissal of sheriff’s suit
The Jasper County Commission is the final authority in budget allocations, including those from the county’s Law Enforcement Sales Tax fund, county lawyers have argued in a motion recently filed in Jasper County Circuit Court.

February 10, 2012
Winter weather back in forecast
The arctic front that passed over Missouri on Friday will bring cold temperatures to the region tonight.

February 10, 2012
Weather service upgrading radar at Springfield station
The National Weather Service radar station at Springfield will be out of service for about two weeks to permit the installation of dual-polarization technology.

February 10, 2012
MSSU, PSU to conduct financial-aid events
Missouri Southern State University in Joplin and Pittsburg (Kan.) State University each will conduct events Sunday to help high school seniors with completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid.

February 10, 2012
Authorities term deaths of teens murder-suicide
Authorities say a teenage woman apparently shot her estranged boyfriend several times before turning the gun on herself and taking her own life.

February 10, 2012
Mike Pound: One man in America wants his robo call
I like to think I have pretty thick skin. If I didn’t, all the emails I get with the subject lines that read “Hey moron” would bother me. But they don’t, so I do.

February 10, 2012
Proposed Kan. abortion ban blocked by abortion foe
An influential anti-abortion legislator is blocking the push for a ban on abortion in the Kansas Constitution, highlighting a split among abortion opponents over tactics and frustrating the group advocating the “personhood” proposal Friday.

February 10, 2012
Kansas House GOP issues tax plan
House Republican leaders are proposing a plan to cut Kansas income taxes, removing one key objection to an earlier proposal from Gov. Sam Brownback.

February 10, 2012
More Local News Headlines

Water company cites reconnections

Local News

Search Results

Related Photos

Discussion

Miami voters approve sales tax proposal

Eliminating the state income tax and increasing sales tax was debated during a press day on Thursday at the Missouri Capitol. Do you favor that proposal?

Site Map

Contact Us