Legislation that would allow startup ambulance districts to be funded through sales tax levies will be sent to the governor’s desk after it was passed by the Missouri General Assembly in the closing days of the legislative session.
Senate Bill 226 allows voters to authorize a sales tax of up to one-half of 1 percent, as an alternative to a property tax levy of up to 30 cents per $100 assessed valuation, to fund newly organized ambulance districts in Missouri. Under the legislation, a petition to establish a district must specify whether it will be funded with a property or sales tax.
kAmtI:DE:?8 C68F=2E:@?D @?=J A6C>:E 2 G@E6C\2AAC@G65 AC@A6CEJ E2I =6GJ 2D 2 7F?5:?8 D@FC46 7@C 2 ?6H 5:DEC:4E]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@G:D:@? H2D :?4=F565 :? 2 >62DFC6 E92E 2=D@ 6DE23=:D96D 2 AC@46DD 7@C G@E6C C642== @7 >6>36CD @7 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E 3@2C5D @7 5:C64E@CD[ H9:49 E96 =68:D=2EFC6 A2DD65 =2DE H66< 27E6C |:DD@FC: $6?2E6 2?5 w@FD6 @7 #6AC6D6?E2E:G6D G6CD:@?D @7 E96 3:== H6C6 C64@?4:=65 :? 4@?76C6?46 4@>>:EE66]k^Am
kAm%96 AC@A@D2= :D ?@H D6E E@ 8@ E@ E96 56D< @7 v@G] y2J }:I@?[ 2?5 :7 D:8?65[ E96 ?6H D2=6D E2I AC@G:D:@? H@F=5 E2<6 67764E pF8] ag]k^Am
kAmp=@?8 H:E9 G2C:@FD :?5FDECJ 2DD@4:2E:@?D[ E96 $652=:2\!6EE:D r@F?EJ t>6C86?4J |65:42= $6CG:46D r@>>:EE66 — 2 8C@FA H@C<:?8 @? 2 AC@A@D2= E@ 7@C> 2? 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E E@ D6CG6 !6EE:D r@F?EJ — 92D 324<65 E96 =68:D=2E:@?[ H9:49 DFAA@CE6CD D2:5 AC@G:56D 2 >@C6 G:23=6 2?5 6BF:E23=6 @AE:@? 7@C 7F?5:?8 ?6H 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4ED]k^Am
kAm“(6 E9:?< E96C6’D AC@323=J 2 5@K6? A=246D :? E96 DE2E6 E92E E@52J @C `_ J62CD 7C@> ?@H 42? 36?67:E 7C@> E9:D[” D2:5 y2D@? (9:E6[ @7 E96 |:DD@FC: p>3F=2?46 pDD@4:2E:@?]k^Am
kAm$652=:2\!6EE:D r@F?EJ t|$ r@>>:EE66 >6>36C y@9? uC:EK[ H9@ E6DE:7:65 :? DFAA@CE @7 E96 3:== 367@C6 E96 w@FD6 v6?6C2= {2HD r@>>:EE66 =2DE >@?E9[ D2:5 E96 D2=6D E2I 7F?5:?8 >6492?:D> H@F=5 36 2 72:C @AE:@? 3642FD6 E9@D6 H9@ H@F=5 FD6 E96 2>3F=2?46 D6CG:46 5@ ?@E ?646DD2C:=J A2J AC@A6CEJ E2I6D :? E96 4@F?EJ]k^Am
kAm“x 7:C>=J 9@=5 E92E D2=6D E2I :D 2 >F49 >@C6 6BF:E23=6 G69:4=6 E@ 7:?2?46 E96 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E[” uC:EK D2:5]k^Am
kAmw6 2=D@ 76=E E96 D2=6D E2I @AE:@? 4@F=5 :>AC@G6 E96 AC@DA64E @7 =@42= G@E6CD DFAA@CE:?8 E96 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E AC@A@D2=]k^Am
kAm$652=:2\!6EE:D r@F?EJ t>6C86?4J |2?286>6?E p86?4J s:C64E@C s2G6 r=:AA6CE[ 492:C>2? @7 E96 t|$ r@>>:EE66[ D2:5 96 36=:6G6D 2 D2=6D E2I =6GJ H@F=5 86?6C2E6 23@FE E96 D2>6 2>@F?E @7 7F?5:?8 7@C E96 5:DEC:4E 2D 2 AC@A6CEJ E2I =6GJ[ 3FE 4@F=5 36 >@C6 A2=2E23=6 E@ G@E6CD]k^Am
kAm“%96 D2=6D E2I x ;FDE E9:?< :D 2? 62D:6C D6== E@ G@E6CD :7 E96J H:D9 E@ 8@ H:E9 2? 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E[” 96 D2:5]k^Am
kAm(:E9 E96 >62DFC6 2AAC@G65 3J E96 DE2E6 =68:D=2EFC6[ r=:AA6CE D2:5 E96 4@>>:EE66 H:== 36 23=6 E@ AC6A2C6 H@C< @? E96 A6E:E:@? H9:=6 E96 =68:D=2E:@? 2H2:ED 2 D:8?2EFC6 7C@> E96 8@G6C?@C]k^Am
kAm%96 4@>>:EE66[ H9:49 :D E2C86E:?8 2? pAC:= a_`a 6=64E:@? 32==@E 7@C AFEE:?8 E96 2>3F=2?46 5:DEC:4E AC@A@D2= 367@C6 !6EE:D r@F?EJ G@E6CD[ :D D4965F=65 E@ >66E (65?6D52J]k^Am
