Voters reject sales tax in West Plains; city outlines next steps

SPRINGFIELD, Mo. (KY3) -City leaders in West Plains say they are back to the drawing board after voters rejected a permanent one-cent sales tax that would have funded day-to-day city services and future projects.

Director of Community Services Todd Shanks said the city will now turn to residents and elected officials to begin a path forward.

“We are going to continue listening to our residents, and we’re going to sit down with council to determine our next steps,” Shanks said.

Sports complex expansion now on hold

Among the projects affected is a proposed indoor sports complex improvement. The current facility operates with only two courts, which Shanks said has limited recreational programming.

“Because we only have two courts, we’re pretty much maxed out on our recreational leagues, so the new sports complex — what we had proposed would be a four-court complex,” Shanks said.

The proposed complex would have included three dedicated pickleball courts and an NCAA regulation-sized track. Tax revenue could have also gone toward sidewalk improvements and flood control.

City plans community outreach

Shanks said the city plans to spend the next year gathering feedback from voters before deciding how to move forward, including the possibility of mailing surveys to residents.

“I think we’re really going to focus on that in the next year — reach out to the community. They might even see some surveys in their mailbox. We’ll reach out to the community just to see what it is that they want. What’s their priorities?” Shanks said.

Shanks said the failed vote does not halt existing city services.

“We have an amazing community that supports the city of West Plains. We appreciate that they were involved in the election process. We appreciate the fact that they are so concerned and invested in our community,” Shanks said.

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