|
|
|
Independence, MO —
Sales taxes for parks and better stormwater control have brought Independence a long way in a decade, but there’s still a great deal of work to do, advocates said Wednesday.
Renewal of both taxes as one ballot issue goes to the voters Aug. 3. Officials and advocates made their case at the Independence Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon.
“The city needs a secure, reliable source of funding for both of these programs,” said local attorney Roger Hershey, a longtime local parks advocate who helped with initial voter approval of the parks tax in 1998.
At that time, voters approved a one-eighth-cent sales tax and four years later raised it to a quarter cent. Half of that is permanent, and the other half is what’s on the ballot in two weeks. The money pays for both new work and day-to-day operations.
“Our parks were in pretty bad shape” before 1998, said Eric Urfer, the city’s parks director. He ticked off several improvements since, including renovations of the Truman Memorial Building, improvements to Crysler Stadium and the opening of Adventure Oasis, a water park that he said has generated enough money to pay its own way since it opened five years ago.
The city has been updating its long-term park plan, and that included getting public opinion, which Urfer said was strongly in favor of first maintaining the facilities already in place.
“We heard that over and over and over again. ... Folks want to make sure we take care of what we have,” he said.
The city also would like to add at least two spray parks and a “destination” playground, a spot where families might visit for half a day at a time.
“Take a picnic lunch and let the kids go crazy,” he said.
Residents also said they want more trails to walk and ride, and Urfer said that’s in the works.
The quarter-cent stormwater tax was approved in 1999, and Christine Smith of the Water Pollution Control Department pointed out that 22 projects were promised at that time but that the city has actually done 54.
“The fact is it’s been a successful program,” she said.
As the areas hardest hit by stormwater runoff have been addressed, residents of other areas have stepped forward with similar needs, she said. The city has 22 projects under way – $15.3 million worth – and is evaluating another 39 that would cost $17.1 million. Beyond that, another $8 million could go to control erosion.
Chamber President Rick Hemmingsen said the chamber’s board unanimously voted to endorse the tax renewals and said parks and stormwater improvement support the chamber’s top overall goal, the revitalization of western Independence.
“Infrastructure is critical,” he said.
Hershey said better parks and better stormwater control also improve property values.
“It really is important to the city at this critical juncture,” he said.
Sales taxes for parks and better stormwater control have brought Independence a long way in a decade, but there’s still a great deal of work to do, advocates said Wednesday.
Renewal of both taxes as one ballot issue goes to the voters Aug. 3. Officials and advocates made their case at the Independence Chamber of Commerce monthly luncheon.
“The city needs a secure, reliable source of funding for both of these programs,” said local attorney Roger Hershey, a longtime local parks advocate who helped with initial voter approval of the parks tax in 1998.
At that time, voters approved a one-eighth-cent sales tax and four years later raised it to a quarter cent. Half of that is permanent, and the other half is what’s on the ballot in two weeks. The money pays for both new work and day-to-day operations.
“Our parks were in pretty bad shape” before 1998, said Eric Urfer, the city’s parks director. He ticked off several improvements since, including renovations of the Truman Memorial Building, improvements to Crysler Stadium and the opening of Adventure Oasis, a water park that he said has generated enough money to pay its own way since it opened five years ago.
The city has been updating its long-term park plan, and that included getting public opinion, which Urfer said was strongly in favor of first maintaining the facilities already in place.
“We heard that over and over and over again. ... Folks want to make sure we take care of what we have,” he said.
The city also would like to add at least two spray parks and a “destination” playground, a spot where families might visit for half a day at a time.
“Take a picnic lunch and let the kids go crazy,” he said.
Residents also said they want more trails to walk and ride, and Urfer said that’s in the works.
The quarter-cent stormwater tax was approved in 1999, and Christine Smith of the Water Pollution Control Department pointed out that 22 projects were promised at that time but that the city has actually done 54.
“The fact is it’s been a successful program,” she said.
As the areas hardest hit by stormwater runoff have been addressed, residents of other areas have stepped forward with similar needs, she said. The city has 22 projects under way – $15.3 million worth – and is evaluating another 39 that would cost $17.1 million. Beyond that, another $8 million could go to control erosion.
Chamber President Rick Hemmingsen said the chamber’s board unanimously voted to endorse the tax renewals and said parks and stormwater improvement support the chamber’s top overall goal, the revitalization of western Independence.
“Infrastructure is critical,” he said.
Hershey said better parks and better stormwater control also improve property values.
“It really is important to the city at this critical juncture,” he said.
