Speaking Personally: A last word before election day

Like it or not, taxes are the theme of this election cycle. In Howell County, there are multiple taxation questions on the ballot next week. We were talking about new taxes in Mountain View Saturday morning at our candidate event. We also have school board elections and city government elections, which are also ultimately a tax question. When you vote for school board or city council, you’re voting for the people who will approve (or make) decisions about your tax dollars.

 

Surprising no one, I have some thoughts. 

 

The first thing I want say in the face of a torrent of misinformation is that the very best place to get information about how proposed taxes can be spent is in the ballot language itself. Luckily, we have sample ballots with this language CLICK HERE. When a tax starts via ballot measure, elected officials are bound by the ballot language when they spend it. 

 

If you’ve heard or read that tax dollars can be spent on something, flip the page to the ballots and find out for yourself if it’s true. 

 

On that subject, proposed Proposition 1 funds can only be used on road and bridge projects. Proposition 2 is a little trickier because it is mandated by legislation from the Missouri Senate, better known as the bill for the Kansas City stadium, and if passed, will also establish a tax credit program for primary residences in Howell County.

 

Please read through the numbers HERE on how this can affect local school districts.

 

The last thing public education needs is another leak in their financial support. Local fire and ambulance districts and West Plains Public Library will be negatively affected too. 

 

The folks in Jefferson City are working on a lot of changes to Missouri’s tax structure that we should be paying attention to, but in Howell County, the schools are struggling now. Districts are losing employees as a solution to cut costs. That’s bad for students, and it’s bad for our small-town economy.

 

I urge you to vote NO on Prop 2 in Howell County. Tax changes are coming soon enough, but this is not the right solution. 

 

Voters, we can’t take April 7 seriously enough. I am begging you to get to the polls and pick the most qualified person for each office.

 

Since the news broke last fall about the financial crisis in Willow Springs, something has happened in our local political landscape. I have received more letters to the editor, more Thumbs Up/Down, more anonymous tips, more non-anonymous tips, and had more conversations about school boards than ever before. 

 

That’s a silver lining. Something extremely controversial happened, and suddenly everyone had an opinion. Election day is the day to do something with that opinion, because controversy plays an important role in our democracy. 

 

Blessed is the controversy that made us pay attention. Blessed is the crisis that made us all pray for the school districts. 

 

Ultimately, voting is an act of hope. The mud-slinging nature of election season distracts from that, but if you were outraged for even one second about anything I’ve written, you care enough to hope. Don’t lose momentum. Don’t stop talking about the issues after the election. 

 

Don’t forget to vote!