Marionville asks voters to decide on a sales tax increase in April

MARIONVILLE, Mo. (KY3) - For Marionville, the focus of the April election is about safety. The city is asking voters to approve a sales tax increase to make additions that, we’re told, are dire needs.

Gary Wright said, “Nobody ever wants to let go of their money, right?”

The local business owner says raising taxes can be tricky. Billy Stephens agrees.

“A lot of time when they’re raising taxes, a lot of people aren’t sure exactly where the money is going to,” said Stephens.

But the community is growing, and with that, the need for more public safety resources. Fire Chief Kris Bowling says his department is in dire need of a larger facility, as some trucks and equipment are stored off-site.

“It adds a lot of time, going to different buildings. You’ve got to come back here and get your gear. It’s just a scramble. Having everything consolidated to one location would help greatly,” he said.

In addition to expanding the current fire department, plans call for building a storm shelter that could house up to 500 people.

“We have nowhere to send people in the event of a storm. It’s something that the city and community need. It’s been something that we’ve been trying to get for the last 15 to 20 years,” said Bowling.

He says the city has tried to secure funding through the American Rescue Plan Act. It’s why voters will be asked to decide on a public safety tax increase of 1/4 of 1% to be added to the current fund in April. This money will be used to pay for the bond the city needs to build the additions.

Bowling said, “We’re kind of revitalizing downtown. More businesses are coming to town. This is something we can do on our side to help protect the citizens.”

Both Stephens and Wright say the increase is little to pay for peace of mind.

Stephens said, “I personally don’t mind paying a little extra money for a good cause.”

“We do need the services here to protect us,” said Wright.

If approved, the tax will not sunset, meaning there is no date by which it will end. After the bonds are paid back, the money would then be used for new equipment and maintenance at the police and fire departments.

To report a correction or typo, please email digitalnews@ky3.com. Please include the article info in the subject line of the email.