SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — One issue Springfield voters will see on their ballots is whether or not to approve a new three-fourths-cent sales tax to replace the expiring police-fire pension sales tax.

The ballot says one-quarter of the sales tax will go toward public safety and funding the remaining contributions to the Police Fire Pension system and the rest will go toward investments in neighborhoods and community initiatives in line with the city's comprehensive plan.

"So Springfield currently has about a 42% homeownership rate just in comparison to the national average. The national average hovers in the mid-sixties, so we are quite a bit below the national average. And so our whole mission is to try to raise that up at a minimum to 50%, but really to create that stability in these neighborhoods that we serve," said Brendan Griesemer, Executive Director of Restore SGF. He was one of the members of the Citizens Commission Group and his contributions helped define what initiatives could be addressed if this new tax were to pass.

"Everything comes out of the comprehensive plan that the citizens adopted through city council about a year ago or so. And so really things like neighborhood revitalization, that's the number one on our on the list and Restore SGF is mentioned in that some of our initiatives related to homeownership and improving housing," said Griesemer

Springfield city manager Jason Gage says the city has a unique opportunity to take care of the police and firefighters.

"We're trying to look at how we can enhance pay and be competitive for retention and for attraction because we understand how important our police and firefighters are in this community fighting crime, responding to emergencies and how people rely on them," said Gage.

But to also address other important needs such as housing and parks.

"We want to take care of the people that are here. Our businesses are residents, right? Take care of our neighborhoods, invest in our infrastructure. We want to do those things," said Gage. 

The current tax is set to expire in late March of 2025 and if the voters decide to not pass the new ballot initiative Gage says the city could be forced to make some adjustments to their budget.

News Source : https://www.ozarksfirst.com/news/a-look-at-the-3-4-cent-sales-tax-on-ballots/