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Washington council OKs placing capital-improvement and transportation sales-tax renewals on April ballot
Summary
The Washington City Council voted Dec. 1 to place two half‑cent sales-tax measures on the April 2026 ballot — one for capital improvements and one for transportation — after staff said the renewals would preserve federal funding eligibility and could generate roughly $25 million over eight years for listed projects.
The Washington, Missouri City Council unanimously approved ordinances Dec. 1 to call a municipal election on two half‑cent sales-tax measures: a capital-improvement renewal and a transportation‑purpose renewal, to appear on the April 2026 ballot.
City staff, identified during the meeting as Darren, told council members the capital-improvement renewal is intended to fund a list of projects compiled by the sales-tax renewal committee and noted the measure’s language must retain statutory wording about possible retirement of previously authorized bonded indebtedness. Darren said the sales tax “will generate approximately 25,000,000 over an 8 year window” based on assumed growth in receipts and the committee’s projections. The committee’s outreach included the parks master plan process and meetings with local groups such as the Washington Sports Association and Washington Soccer Academy.
On the transportation measure, staff said renewing the half-cent transportation tax now preserves the city’s ability to program for federal funding cycles — typically four to five years from application to construction — and noted the existing transportation tax expires in 2030. The proposal discussed would continue the tax through 2030 and then establish a new 20‑year program beginning in 2030 to complete identified projects.
Council members asked for additional presentations and data; staff offered to return with updated project lists and a presentation in January or February so councilors could review details before final ballot planning. Both ordinances proceeded to second reading and were approved by voice vote.
What happens next: With council passage, the city will place the two measures on the April 2026 ballot and continue outreach and presentation of project details to the council in early 2026.
