Development News for Jefferson City, Missouri

City Proposes Extending Capital Improvement Sales Tax to 10 Years to Fund Infrastructure Needs

The city is discussing the renewal of its capital improvement sales tax, which has been in place since the early 1980s and renewed eight times. The primary proposed change is extending the tax from a 5-year increment to a 10-year increment while keeping the rate the same. This extension is intended to better accommodate the time required for larger projects, including environmental reviews, planning, and grant fund leveraging, as well as to spread out project costs over a longer period. The tax currently generates approximately $7 million annually, with a 5-year plan totaling $30-40 million and a proposed 10-year plan targeting $70-80 million in projects. The funds are allocated with the majority (59%) going to public works, 20% to public safety (police and fire), 10% to parks, and 10% to IT, GIS, and contingency projects. Presentations covered the IT department's needs for endpoint devices, servers, and network infrastructure, as well as the GIS department's needs for aerial photography and system updates. The contingency fund is managed to cover project cost escalations or be used for additional projects when revenues meet or exceed projections.