Council hears plan to seek renewal of transportation sales tax on 2026 ballot to preserve grant matches

City staff presented a detailed plan at the March 3 council workshop for placing a renewal of the city’s transportation sales tax on the 2026 ballot to preserve local match funds and support major roadway, trail and airport projects.

The presenter (staff member) told the council the current transportation sales tax began in 2005 as a 25-year tax and is scheduled to end in 2030. Staff proposed a renewal that would take effect when the current tax expires in 2030 and run through 2050; they emphasized the proposal would not increase the city’s sales tax rate before 2030 but would authorize a new term beginning in 2030, if approved by voters.

The presentation outlined how the sales tax has been used — notably to fund capacity improvements on Highway 100 in three phases — and showed a long list of potential future projects staff would seek to fund or match with grants. Staff emphasized that many federal and state grants require a local match and that projects often take several years from application to construction, making an earlier renewal (placement on the 2026 ballot) preferable to preserve the city’s ability to leverage grant funding.

Key cost estimates provided by staff included: - A cost estimate of $8.6 million (today’s dollars) to widen about 4,000 feet of Highway 47 to four lanes. - An estimated $32.8 million (today’s dollars) to widen about 3.25 miles of Highway 100 to four lanes and perform associated intersection improvements. - An airport improvement total of roughly $22 million with an estimated 10% local match (about $2.9 million). - An East–West Parkway buildout estimate of roughly $13.6 million with a typical 20% local match.

Staff presented a financing summary that estimated the portfolio of suggested projects would require about $3.8 million a year on average; projected sales-tax revenue from a renewal was shown in the presentation as roughly $2.8–3.0 million in 2030 and rising to about $4.5 million by 2050 under the assumptions used.

Councilmembers who spoke praised the proactive timing and education effort needed before a ballot measure. One councilmember said, “This puts the numbers to the paper,” and another noted the communication challenge of reminding voters an existing portion of the sales tax pays for transportation rather than being a new tax.

Staff said the mayor plans to form a citizen committee in the summer to review the proposed renewals of both the transportation sales tax and a separate capital improvement sales tax so the committee can help with public education and ballot planning. No formal motion or ordinance was introduced at the workshop; staff asked for direction on pursuing the 2026 ballot and said they would return with further details as the committee work and draft ordinance language progress.

Ending

Council members agreed the proposal merits public education and early planning; staff will continue work with MoDOT, consultants and a forthcoming citizen committee and will return with formal ballot language and budget details for future council consideration.