Committee hears bill allowing specialty districts (ambulance, fire, 9‑1‑1) to collect Wayfair/use tax if voters authorize

Representative Dane Deal presented House Bill 6‑41 to permit specialty political subdivisions that provide emergency services (ambulance districts, fire protection districts and certain 9‑1‑1 districts) to ask voters to authorize collection of the state use tax (the Wayfair‑style tax on remote sales) for their own district when counties and cities already retain that option. Deal told the committee the bill clarifies that emergency service districts may be classified similarly to cities/counties for use‑tax authorization and may take the question to local voters if the district’s board approves.

Witnesses representing ambulance and fire districts, the Missouri Ambulance Association, Missouri Ambulance Districts Association, Missouri 9‑1‑1 Directors Association and other local emergency service providers testified in strong support. Brent Hemphill (Missouri Ambulance Association) said the change would let ambulance and fire districts replace lost retail sales tax revenue and better maintain emergency services; he described the measure as enabling parity with cities and counties. John Barclay (chief, NTA Ambulance District), Ray Antonacci (Lincoln County Ambulance District), and other local district leaders described current revenue shortfalls and quantified potential losses tied to remote retail purchasing that the Wayfair use tax could replace.

Opposition testimony included Arnie A.C. Dinoff, State Public Advocate, who argued against more local taxing options and said Missouri residents face high cumulative tax burdens from multiple overlapping districts. Dinoff urged restraint on new taxing authorities.

Scott Penman (Missouri 9‑1‑1 Directors Association) testified the change would provide parity for districts that now collect sales tax locally but cannot collect the use tax and that the revenue difference could range from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands of dollars annually for some districts; he said 60 counties fund 9‑1‑1 systems by sales tax and that allowing use tax collection could materially affect equipment and locating capabilities.

Committee members discussed parity, the ballot process and local voter authorization. Sponsor and witnesses emphasized that the change only permits districts to seek voter approval; it does not impose taxes without a local vote.

No committee vote was recorded in the transcript; proponents urged the committee to move the bill forward so districts can place the question before local voters if desired.