County voters will decide two tax issues

BLOOMFIELD - Stoddard County voters will have a unique opportunity this April. When they go to the polls in the April 2 election voters will decide whether or not to eliminate one tax - but add another in its place.

The Stoddard County Commission voted Tuesday to place the question before county voters to eliminate the county property tax in lieu of of a 1/2-cent sales tax increase. The elimination of personal property tax would apply only to county tax and not include property tax for school districts, county ambulance, drainage districts and other entities.

Associate Commissioner Ray Coats said the commission had been discussing the proposal has been going on for some time.

"It will help some (residents)," Coats said. "A lot of people feel a sales tax is the fairest way to tax -- people only pay on what they spend."

The commissioners see two benefits to eliminating the property tax levy by next year.

According to Coats, Stoddard County would benefit like Cape Girardeau County already benefits - the county would pick up additional revenue from people coming from outside the county to purchase goods and services.

Under the property tax levy, the commission could legally raise the rate to 17-cents, something the commission does not foresee happening in the near or distant future, Coats stated. However, it will remain a possibility that wouldn't exist if it was to be eliminated in favor of an increased sales tax.

"If we do it that way, we'll never have to look at it (property tax rate) again," Coats said.

He explained the commissioners agreed not to totally eliminate the levy this year to make up for the shortfall that would result with the delay in receiving the sales tax monies.

All sales taxes are turned in to the state which disburses them to the cities and counties where they were collected. If the proposal receives voter approval in April, Stoddard County's first sales tax receipts would not become available until Oct. 1, 2002.

"We felt keeping the levy at a reduced amount for this year would help the county break even," Coats said.