JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri Municipal League (MML) is looking for ways to maintain and sustain local control throughout the legislative session.
“Local matters need to be decided by officials at the local level, not by elected officials from across the state or United States,” said City of Lee’s Summit Mayor Randall Rhoads. Rhoads also serves as the current president of the MML.
MML is concerned about sales tax exemptions, which they say erode local funding.
“Two-thirds of Missourians live in a city,” said Dan Ross, executive director of the Missouri Municipal League. “These citizens depend on services such as sewer, water, and police protection. When state and federal laws chip away at a city’s tax base, they take voter-approved critical services from local citizens.”
A top priority named by MML is transportation. Cities are supporting an increased fuel tax as a way to fund transportation needs.
The MML is an association of cities across Missouri. Founded in 1934, MML now serves more than 660 municipalities with training, resources and legislative advocacy for local government leaders.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
