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Fort Scott commissioners discuss 1¢ sales tax option, 9-year streets plan and mill-levy cut
Summary
At a Fort Scott City Commission work session commissioners discussed placing on the November ballot either a renewal of the current half-cent sales tax or a proposal to raise it to 1¢, paired with a nine-year streets plan, an advertised reduction of 2 points on the mill levy and a proposed allocation split for streets, parks and public safety.
Fort Scott City commissioners met in a work session to discuss whether to place a sales-tax question on the November ballot that would either renew the existing half-cent sales tax or raise it to a full 1¢, paired with a nine-year streets plan and an advertised cut of "2 full points" on the mill levy.
The discussion focused on two ballot approaches: present voters with a single renewal (the half-cent) and a second, conditional question to add the extra half-cent (bringing the total to 1¢) if the renewal passes; or ask only for a single 1¢ question. Commissioners and staff debated the term length (five years versus 10 years), how to advertise specific permitted uses, and transparency and auditing controls for any new funds.
Why it matters: commissioners said the sales tax revenues would be the main funding source for a proposed nine-year streets program the city has drafted. Staff described the plan as aggressive and said it would allow the city to address multiple overdue street projects, reduce borrowing, and free funds for parks and public-safety equipment if voters approve the increase. Commissioners noted the proposal could affect borrowing plans…
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