Cole County and Jefferson City Face Key Tax and Infrastructure Votes

City voters in Jefferson City are scheduled to decide on the renewal of the city's half-cent capital improvement sales tax for another 10 years during the Aug. 4 primary election. This sales tax, active since the mid-1980s, funds street and stormwater improvements, public safety equipment, and city park maintenance. Separately, a Cole County judge is set to rule on a case challenging property tax provisions that divert state tax revenue to support professional sports teams.

The city and county have a history of combining tax revenues to fund larger projects, such as the $6 million Wildwood Drive extension. A successful renewal of the sales tax could provide a stable revenue source for Jefferson City to issue bonds for major infrastructure projects, including the replacement of the High Street viaduct.