BELLE — Belle aldermen are pushing Proposition A — a half-cent general sales tax for public safety — on the Nov. 5 ballot. The measure was approved via Ordinance 638 during the July and August meetings.

Mayor James (Pudd) Mitchell first introduced the ordinance during the July 9 meeting and said that the general tax would be used to fund the city’s police department. The proposed general tax is not a public safety tax.

According to a 2020 Feature Review article written by Lauber Municipal Law attorneys, the same firm that represents the city, a municipality must obtain special statutory permission to put a public safety tax on the ballot from the Missouri legislature.

During the general sales tax proposal on July 9, Mitchell said the Belle Police Department needs a tax.

“Without it, the police department is looking pretty vague,” Mitchell said. “We are going to run it and see. If the town wants to keep our police department, they’ll pass it. If they don’t, then I guess we will have to take other measures. It will be up to the vote of the people.”

Alderman Kevin Guffey made a motion to approve Ordinance 638 and Alderman Barb Howarth seconded. The ordinance passed its first reading with a 4-0 vote.

During the Aug. 13 meeting, the board revisited Ordinance 638 for the second reading and passed it with a 4-0 vote.

Ordinance 638 was not advertised before the July meeting but was added to new business during the approval of the agenda. The announcement for the second reading was on the Aug. 13 agenda.

According to the ordinance, the city will pay a special election fee to have the general sales tax question on the Nov. 5 ballot. Maries County Clerk Rhonda Rodgers said because this isn’t a municipal election, the city will share the cost of printing and advertising the ballot between the county and state only versus other municipalities. She estimated the city’s April municipal ballot costs around $2,000 and the special election costs in November between $2,000 and $3,000 for the ballot and advertising. Rodgers won’t know the exact amount until she is sure of the costs of the election.

As outlined in Ordinance 638, Prop A is a general-purpose public safety tax for the purpose of improving public safety. It will be voted on, “At a special election on Tuesday, Nov. 5, 2024. The question of whether the city shall impose a general sales tax of one-half of one percent for the purpose of improving public safety, prescribing a form of ballot thereof, and containing an emergency clause.”

Alderman Steve Vogt said on Tuesday that the “emergency clause” will allow the city to begin collecting taxes immediately.

The description “improving public safety” shall allow for purchases of equipment, additional personnel and personnel expenses for the department,” according to the ordinance.

The “city clerk shall prepare and execute the form of the notice of said election and shall transmit the same to the county clerks in Maries and Osage counties, and request that they conduct said election as required by law.”

Prop A will ask voters, “Shall the city of Belle, Missouri, impose a sales tax of one-half of one percent for the purpose of improving public safety.”

The current sales tax rate in Maries County - Belle is a total of 7.891 percent, which includes 4.225 percent to the state; 1.666 percent to Maries County; and an even 2 percent to the city.

The total sales tax rate in Osage County Belle is 8.4750 percent, which includes 4.225 percent to the state; 2.25 percent to Osage County; and 2 percent to the city of Belle.

If the general sales tax passes, the city’s total sales tax revenue from last year should be multiplied by half of a percent (.5 percent) to find the increased tax revenue.

The Advocate requested Belle’s total 2023 sales tax revenue from the city clerk, city treasurer and Vogt several times throughout the day on Tuesday but did not receive the numbers by deadline. Vogt said he was waiting on Guffey to complete the math.

Belle Marshal Jerry Coborn said Tuesday morning that the tax will bring stability to the police department. He believes the elected marshal will be in charge of the funds and ensure police services do not revert back to the county at a later date.

However, Vogt clarified that the tax is for general public safety purposes. Though funds will be used to ensure public safety, it doesn’t necessarily mean through the police department.

“It will be lumped under general revenue, it all goes together. But then it’s allocated under the public safety, not the police department so the council will be in control of that,” Vogt said. “We haven’t discussed using anything of this to go back to contracting with the county. It would have to be researched with our attorney if it ever happened again. The discussion at this time for this scenario is to fund the local police department.”

Vogt was unsure of the Belle Police Department’s current budget. The July 2024 department budget showed an estimated income of  $319,981.44 of which $198,346.19 has been collected to date. Expenses were estimated at $318,981.44 of which $284,337.98 has been spent to date.

Aldermen confirmed Coborn’s $52,000 street commissioner salary is also paid from the police department’s budget.

Vogt added that any funds collected from the tax will be in addition to the monies currently allocated to the Belle Police Department to gain more revenue and improve the program.

There is no sunset for the tax listed on the ballot. Once implemented, it will be permanent.