n April 2019, Springfield voters will be asked to approve the renewal of the 1/4-cent capital improvements sales tax (with no tax increase) to fund capital improvement and transportation improvement projects in Springfield.
The revenue from the tax is reviewed and monitored by the Citizens’ Tax Oversight Committee.
The City is seeking feedback from citizens in the form of a survey on the proposed list of new roadway construction projects to be included in the next cycle of the 1/4-cent sales tax program.
The survey is available online at springfieldmo.gov/election. Paper copies of the survey are available at the Citizen Resource Center, which is inside the Busch Municipal Building lobby.
The survey includes short descriptions of the full list of projects. It asks citizens to prioritize the projects they think are most beneficial to the community, offer guidance on the amount that should be invested in certain city-wide programs and provide any additional comments they might have. The survey is open to anyone who lives, works or visits Springfield and frequents City roadways.
Public Works engineers identified 26 proposed projects designed to not only make streets safer, but also more user-friendly for all modes of transportation.
The list was created using the following criteria:
• Increased safety for all users
• Support of economic development
• Protection and enhancement of the environment and quality of life
• Intermodal connectivity
• Condition of the infrastructure
• Opportunity for public and private partnerships
• Efficiency & effectiveness of the system.
• Increased safety for all users
• Support of economic development
• Protection and enhancement of the environment and quality of life
• Intermodal connectivity
• Condition of the infrastructure
• Opportunity for public and private partnerships
• Efficiency & effectiveness of the system.
The results from the survey will help guide the City as it sets priorities for projects proposed to be funded by the 1/4-cent sales tax. Other factors included in the consideration are City department and partner agency assessed need, continuation project status and equitable geographic dispersion. City/agency need is determined by City departments and partner agencies who assess other variables that may impact the project’s overall benefit to the community. Total crashes, traffic capacity, infrastructure condition, economic development potential and flooding within the project area were all factors considered.
About the 1/4-cent tax
The 1/4-cent capital improvement projects sales tax has a three-year sunset, was first approved in 1989 and was renewed in 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.
The 1/4-cent capital improvement projects sales tax has a three-year sunset, was first approved in 1989 and was renewed in 1992, 1995, 1998, 2001, 2004, 2007, 2010, 2013 and 2016.
The current 1/4-cent capital improvement sales tax, renewed by Springfield voters for the ninth time in 2016, is estimated to generate approximately $30 million, which is being invested in projects such as intersection improvements, school sidewalks and traffic signals.
When possible, funding is leveraged with other partners including county, state, federal, and developer funding to increase the investment return to the citizens of Springfield.
Projects that have been completed with revenues collected from the 1/4-cent taxes include:
- Republic Road Phase 3
- College Street Route 66 Streetscape Phase 2
- Campbell & Primrose Intersection Improvements
- Mt. Vernon Street Widening (Orchard Crest to Suburban)
- Jefferson Avenue Streetscape Phase 1
- Jefferson Avenue Streetscape Phase 2
- Phelps Street Streetscape
- Main Avenue Streetscape
- Commercial Street Streetscape Phase 5
- Cost-share projects for economic development working with MoDOT, Greene County and private developers.
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