Sales tax ballot question

Monett residents, on Tuesday, April 2 will be asked to vote on a proposed ¼ cent sales tax.

If approved by voters, this tax would replace the current tax that is set to expire once the city pays off the debt associated with the pool. The current ¼ cent park tax was approved by voters in 2017 to provide funding for the construction of the city park pool located at the YMCA. Due in part to robust sales tax collections the past four years, the city expects it will be able to pay off the remaining debt on the park pool this calendar year, four years earlier than originally scheduled. When the pool debt is resolved, the current tax is set to expire.

If approved, the new tax would replace the current parks and stormwater sales tax, meaning voters will not be charged any more or less than in the past. While the current sales tax was passed specifically to pay for the park pool, all funds generated from the proposed tax will be earmarked for park use.

With voter approval, the money generated from the tax would be utilized for ongoing and continuous improvements in the city park system. Should voters approve the proposed tax, city leaders plan to host a series of community meetings to gather information and input from residents to help decide what projects should be funded and how to prioritize goals moving forward. Some ideas for the parks include upgrading aging playground equipment, the creation of a dog park, neighborhood parks, and new recreational programs, among many others.

The current sales tax generated $652,948 in tax revenue in fiscal year 2023-24. With that revenue dedicated to paying off the pool debt, it did not provide any additional funding for maintenance, growth, or programs at city park facilities.

(This article is informational only and is not an endorsement of the April 2 sales tax ballot question.)