Discussion of CIDs in the Headliner

All,

Over the past two weeks the discussion of CIDs and economic incentives have been a hot topic in the City of Ozark and in the Christian County Headliner.  The reason this has been such a hot topic is due to two particular bills in front of the board of aldermen.  One will create a new CID across the street from Bullseye to support a new gas station. The other will require any business located within a CID or TDD to post a sign that they collect an extra tax to be displayed on their door or registers.  You can follow the discussion here:

April 14th - Headliner Staff Editorial
http://www.ccheadliner.com/articles/2010/04/14/opinion/doc4bc4909d127b9181198871.txt

April 21st -- Headliner Story on the discussion of tax notification at last Monday's city council meeting.  I would like to note that two others, Kenny Martin and Ron Kissee, spoke on behalf of the bill but were not mentioned in the article.  Also Frank Lorenz spoke out against it.
http://www.ccheadliner.com/articles/2010/04/21/news/doc4bcdd4fc4b7f6074791710.txt

April 21st -- My Guest Letter
http://www.ccheadliner.com/articles/2010/04/21/opinion/doc4bcdcf697b507667118315.txt

Take a look and weigh the arguments.  Let me know what you think.

--
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner

Community Breakfast

Hello Everyone!  The last Saturday of the month is this coming Saturday and it nearly snuck up on me!  Let's plan on breakfast at Grant's from 8 - 10.  We have a lot to talk about, including our new addition to the board, Eddie Campbell.  We can also discuss  the upcoming CID proposals you may have been reading about in the headliner.  Hope to see you all there!!

--
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner

IMPORTANT: April 19th Council Meeting - CID/TDD Tax Notification

All,

Tomorrow's meeting will be of great importance and if you can make it I would encourage you do so.  I do not have the agenda and packet in e-form, but here is a general break down of the issues and why they are important:

CID Sales Tax Notification

Unless it gets tabled for a second time, the bill I've sponsored to create mandatory tax rate notification will go on its first reading.  This bill will require that businesses located within TDDs and CIDs disclose their special tax rates on their doors or registers.  This will ensure consumers and citizens know what they are being taxed and why. 

Scrivener Oil CID Creation Bill

This bill, if passed, will create a CID on the corner of CC and 17th St.  The CID will support a  gas station and allow the owner to impose an extra 1 cent sales tax upon all taxable goods.  The owner would be able to use the extra tax collected on certain improvements to the property.  I did not support this bill the first time it was introduced, and I do not support it now.  I feel it will create a unfair competitive advantage that will increase our taxes and be detrimental to the two existing gas stations located within walking distance of the this lot. 

Property Rights vs. Protection of Property Values

There is a  public hearings on the agenda for a bill that will place restrictions on property owners for the purpose of making residential properties more aesthetically pleasing.  This bill is not in its final version yet, but it is imperative that the public come and give their input before the final draft is complete.  This public hearing is that opportunity.  Specifically, this bill will place restrictions on what types of vehicles you can park on your property, where/how you can park them, and how many of them you can park.  Its focus is on commercial vehicles (from cars with commercial decals to dump trucks) and recreational vehicles such as boats and RVs.  

Please come out to the meeting if you can. 

--
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner

Lunch Meeting: Discussion on Signs, Parking, and Storage

Howdy!

 

I don't have today's packet in electronic format.  We will be discussing sign, parking and storage ordinances.  While I have a general opinion about regulation of such things, I am still working on the research for these particular bills.  I will provide a more in depth opinion before the bills go up for their first reading.

 

On a side note:

Do you believe that businesses within special taxing districts (CIDs, TDDs) should be required to disclose their extra tax rates in the form of a sign on their door or at the register?  My bill to require such will be presented to the board a week from today.  If you feel this is an important measure, I challenge you to attend next Monday's meeting and let your position be known. 

--
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner

Election Success!

All,

Please welcome me in congratulating Ozark's newest Alderman, Eddie Campbell!!  Thank you to everyone who helped make his campaign a success.  He is going to make a fine addition to the Ozark Board of Aldermen, and I am excited to begin working with him. 

--
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner

UPDATE:Tonight's Council Meeting

Here is tonight's council packet:

https://docs.google.com/fileview?id=0B6I2JOdCdMVjMDZiZDYyMzctZGVkMi00ZWY3LWI4YzAtODgxZjEzZTllODZl&hl=en

Tonight's Council Meeting

Howdy!!!

 

Here is the agenda for tonight's meeting:

http://docs.google.com/Doc?docid=0AaI2JOdCdMVjZGN6cHh0czVfMzNjNDM1dzdnZw&hl=en

 

I don't have an e-version of the packet, my apologies. 

 

One item you may find interesting is Bill#2497.   I am introducing this bill that will, if passed, require that businesses who choose to impose special taxes upon themselves display that extra sales tax on their entrances or register.  These extra sales taxes come in the form of CIDs and TDDs.  These tools allow business to collect extra sales tax, on top of the normal sales tax, and use that sales tax for a number of different purposes.  Because these special taxes are not voted on by the general public, many people do not realize they pay these taxes when they shop in certain districts of our city.  This bill will ensure the citizens of Ozark are aware of the taxes they are paying, allowing us to be more informed consumers and citizens.  I don't have an e-version of this bill but here is the major section of it:

 

              NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED BY THE BOARD OF ALDERMEN OF THE CITY OF OZARK, MISSOURI, AS FOLLOWS:

 

SECTION 1.  Title I "GOVERNMENT CODE", Chapter 100 "GENERAL PROVISIONS", Article IV "CITY SALES TAX" of the Code of Ordinances of the City of Ozark is hereby amended by adding one new Section thereto, which new Section shall read as follows: 

 

"SECTION 130.150:  DISCLOSURE OF ADDITIONAL SALES TAX

Any business within the City of Ozark that is also located within a quasi-governmental entity authorized by the Statutes of the State of Missouri and created by an act of the Board of Aldermen, to include, but not limited to, Community Improvement Districts (CID) and Transportation Development Districts (TDD), which has elected to impose an additional sales tax upon goods and/or services for the purpose of re-paying infrastructure improvements shall post, in a conspicuous location at the entrance to the establishment or the location where payment is received, the following notice printed in at least 55 point bold type:

'This establishment charges an additional sales tax of  (insert the actual sales tax imposed) on each purchase for the payment of certain improvements in this District." 

 --
Thanks and Have a Great Day!!

Melissa Wagner
417.231.1045
www.ozarkmissouri.blogspot.com
www.twitter.com/melissadwagner