Hannibal council approves placing half-percent public safety sales tax on November ballot

The Hannibal City Council on Aug. 19 voted to place a proposed one-half percent city sales tax dedicated to public safety on the Nov. 4, 2025 municipal ballot.

The measure, introduced as Bill No. 25‑063, would impose an additional 0.5 percent city sales tax “for the sole purpose of improving the public safety of our city,” and the council completed a second and final reading and adopted the ordinance. Council members recorded their votes as “yes” during the roll call on the second reading.

City officials said the proposal would appear to voters as Proposition 1 at the municipal election. The ordinance language submitted to the council specifies the tax proceeds are to be used for public-safety improvements; the council did not adopt specific expenditure allocations at the meeting.

Council members offered no substantive debate during the final reading. The council followed standard ordinance procedure of a second and final reading and a roll‑call vote to adopt the bill.

If approved by voters, the city will levy the half‑percent sales tax as authorized by the ordinance and publish implementing details in subsequent administrative action. The council did not set an implementation schedule during the Aug. 19 meeting.

Next steps: the ordinance is adopted and the question will appear on the Nov. 4, 2025 ballot for voter approval.