JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Soils and Water Tax, up for renewal on the ballot this year as Amendment 1, looks to continue its success in two weeks with renewal at the polls, supported by the Missouri Farm Bureau.
The bureau, working with a group called Citizens Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks, has been soliciting support for the amendment that, to date, has no real organized opposition.
The Citizens Committee supported the amendment originally in 1984 and has helped campaign for its renewal in 1988, 1996 and 2006.
This year, $100,000 has been raised for a limited media campaign, a principal component of the groups’ support of the tax.
They’re also utilizing a coalition of supporting organizations, including Ameren and the Missouri chapter of the Sierra Club, to encourage support for the amendment.
“We are reminding voters that revenues from the sales tax are evenly divided between state parks and soil and water conservation efforts and that Amendment #1 would renew the tax for another 10 years,” said Estil Fretwell, a spokesman for the Farm Bureau. “Since the tax’s inception, soil erosion has been successfully cut in half and our water quality better protected but much yet remains to be done.”
The 1/10 of one percent sales tax splits its revenues between parks and cutting soil erosion in the state. Since its inception, the tax has been credited with successfully improving the state’s record on soil erosion.
The tax has also benefitted state parks, keeping them admission free, Fretwell said.
“Missouri has one of the finest state parks systems in the country, with 75% of the state parks’ operating budget coming from Amendment 1 revenues,” he said. “Admission to state parks continues to be free to the public.”
With no major opposition for a tax that’s been successfully renewed for the last 30 years, it doesn’t seem like there will be an election day surprise here.
