Howdy!
While researching special taxing districts in MO, I found this interesting press release from State Auditor Susan Montee's Office from 2007. The next time you shop in a business located within a TDD, you should encourage them to post their additional sales tax in a prominent location as per state law. The Missouri Statute is 238.280. You can read it here: http://www.moga.mo.gov/statutes/C200-299/2380000280.HTM
"MEDIA ADVISORY
MONTEE FINDS TRANSPORTATION DEVELOPMENT DISTRICTS CONTINUE TAXING MISSOURIANS WITHOUT THEIR KNOWLEDGE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday July 19, 2007
CONTACT: Samantha Brewer, Public Affairs Coordinator
(573) 751-5313
E-mail: Samantha.Brewer@auditor.mo.gov
Thursday July 19, 2007
CONTACT: Samantha Brewer, Public Affairs Coordinator
(573) 751-5313
E-mail: Samantha.Brewer@auditor.mo.gov
"In their current form, Missouri's TDDs are about as close as you can get to taxation without representation," State Auditor Susan Montee said. "The General Assembly needs to take action or Missourians will continue to pay these higher taxes with little or no input into what they are paying or how their money is spent."
(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – Today, Missouri State Auditor Susan Montee released an audit of Transportation Development Districts (TDDs). As of December 31, 2005, 98 TDDs had been established in Missouri, including 29 established in 2005. An additional 22 were established in 2006. While previous audit of TDDs (SAO Report No. 2006-12, issued March 2006) reported various issues in the areas of public awareness/involvement, accountability, and compliance, the 2007 General Assembly made only one change to the TDD statutes addressing issues reported in the prior audit.
TDDs are established for the construction of transportation-related projects, and governed by a board of directors with the authority to impose sales taxes within that district to pay those costs. In 95 percent of the districts the property owner/developer petitioned for its creation. All of the districts have additional sales tax on retail items sold within the districts' boundaries imposed by the property owner/developer. This results in higher sales tax than the retail establishments outside the district's boundaries. The TDDs are created without public input and sales tax is increased without a public vote.
Officials or representatives of 97 of the TDDs reported total estimated transportation project costs of over $923 million, while 87 of those TDDs reported total estimated revenues of over $1 billion would be collected over the lives of the TDDs.
The current audit found issues in the areas of construction contracts and project management, professional services, budgetary matters, and financial reporting. Competitive bids were either not solicited or appropriate bidding procedures could not be determined. Written contracts related to the construction or construction management services were not always prepared or approved in a timely manner. Requests for proposals for various professional services were either not properly solicited or documentation was not available to provide assurance that such proposals were solicited.
Various matters were noted related to transportation projects costs claimed for reimbursement by developers. For example, it appeared the costs claimed by a developer for reimbursement were included twice, overstating reimbursement requests by approximately $123,800. In addition, in one district, customers of the major retailer in the district were incorrectly charged sales tax at a rate higher than that approved by the district for an 8-month period, resulting in an overpayment of sales taxes by the retailer to the district of approximately $60,000 for this time period."
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Thanks and Have a Great Day!!
Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
http://www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com/
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner
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