OTTUMWA —
A panel of Wapello County mayors discussed Local Option Sales Tax and its benefits to each community at the League of Women Voters of Ottumwa’s candidate forum Thursday night.
Agency Mayor Bob Briner, Blakesburg Mayor Jason Myers, Chillicothe Mayor Jim Lasley, Eddyville Mayor John Johnston, Eldon Mayor Shirley Stacey, Ottumwa Mayor Frank Flanders, Ottumwa City Administrator Joe Helfenberger and Wapello County Supervisor Steve Siegel spoke about the tax. Kirkville Mayor Terry Robinson did not attend the forum.
Each official said their community has received thousands of dollars from LOST in the last decade, which have contributed to many needed projects.
“We’ve spent that on capital improvements to our city, including replacing city water mains, replacing water meters, a water system distribution center upgrade, resurfacing of city streets,” Briner said.
Myers said Blakesburg’s LOST revenue has gone toward resurfacing roads, as well as law enforcement and capital improvements projects.
“If it does not pass, it will make any improvements the city wishes to make nearly impossible,” Myers said.
Lasley said while the nearly $80,000 Chillicothe received in the last decade may not seem like much compared to other municipalities, it constitutes 20 to 25 percent of his town’s budget.
Johnston said 100 percent of Eddyville’s more than $900,000 in LOST revenue in the last decade has gone toward street projects.
Stacey said Eldon’s LOST revenue has benefited the library, fire and police departments, cemetery, new equipment and street repairs.
“If Eldon did not have this tax revenue, we would have to cut the services of those departments, along with the maintenance of streets and upgrading of equipment,” Stacey said. “We could not support what we have on water, sewer and garbage revenues alone.”
Helfenberger said 10 percent of Ottumwa’s LOST revenue would go toward property tax relief, with the other 90 percent going toward streets and sewers.
“If it does not pass in the county, revenue in outlying cities would be based only under commercial trade,” Helfenberger said. “If it doesn’t pass within Ottumwa, residents can expect ... a large increase in sewer rates and property taxes.”
He said the city will have to reduce its 4 miles of street repair per year to 1 mile or less per year if the tax does not pass.
“Completely fair taxation may be a goal that’s unattainable with an imperfect government, but this tax brings us closer to fairness than we would be without it,” Flanders said.
Siegel spoke to LOST’s benefits for the unincorporated communities in the county.
“Over the last 10 years, Wapello County has made about $12 million on LOST and $1.3 million last year,” Siegel said. “Half goes to bridges and culverts, 25 percent goes to rural property tax relief and 25 percent to capital projects.”
Without property tax relief, Siegel said the county’s rural residents could see a 27 percent increase in property tax.
“It’s really a no-brainer for rural residents,” he said. “They get back more than they put in.”
Local News
November 2, 2012
County mayors ask voters to say ‘yes’ to LOST
Local Option Sales Tax funds streets, sewers, property tax relief throughout county
- Local News
-
- Tornado creates local questions OTTUMWA — If there's a tornado in Wapello County, where would I go afterwards? It isn't hard to understand why local callers are asking Wapello County Emergency Management that question. Josh Stevens, emergency coordinator for the county, said since
- A waiting game OTTUMWA — Family and friends of a hospitalized toddler are waiting for answers, as are local police. On April 22, officers found a 2-year-old boy unresponsive at his home in the 100 block of East Woodland Avenue. He was immediately transported to Ott
-
Training goes beyond fires
OTTUMWA — Our firefighters aren't afraid to run into a fire, said one official, but when it comes to a Hazmat situation, they walk. On Wednesday, the Ottumwa Fire Department was on the grounds of Cargill Meat Solutions, training as realistically as p
-
Hedrick teen missing
OTTUMWA — A 13-year-old Hedrick girl has been reported missing. Hunter Kopp, 13, was last seen leaving the Hedrick area (her hometown) around 6 p.m. Monday. Kopp is a white female, 130 pounds, 5-feet-7-inches, with shoulder-length brown hair and blue
- Veterinary clinic rezoned to commercial OTTUMWA -- The Ottumwa Veterinary Clinic is now officially a commercial district. At Tuesday's city council meeting, members voted 4-1 to approve the rezoning of the clinic from R-1 Single Family Residential to C-1 Commercial District, with Councilma
- Ottumwa lands 2015 Iowa Tourism Conference OTTUMWA — It takes two southeast Iowa communities to yank the opportunity to host the Iowa Tourism Conference from Des Moines. Ottumwa Area Convention and Visitors Bureau executive director Mark Eckman was stunned by how quickly the Iowa Tourism Offi
- County to learn about disaster declarations OTTUMWA — The county is a step closer to finding out if they'll be getting money from the federal government. "FEMA was here last week, doing a damage assessment," said Wapello County Engineer Brian Moore during a meeting of the Wapello County Board
-
Oklahoma emergency crews will report specific needs soon
OTTUMWA — The sound of the telephone ringing is evidence to Julie Smithart that residents of Wapello County do care. The tornado damage to lives and property in Oklahoma has brought out the best in people, said Smithart, an AmeriCorps volunteer assig
-
Barber shows no signs of cutting career short
OTTUMWA -- Darrell Smith's hands are steady and sure as he picks up his clippers and straight razor to begin his first haircut and shave of the day. Smith, 88, has cut hair for 62 years and has owned Smitty's Barber Shop on Albia Road for the past 58
- Making memories on stage -- and off OTTUMWA -- Sold-out shows last year inspired Bridge View Center management to continue finding high-quality acts, they announced Monday. The venue's executive director, Larry Gawronski, said last year, booking good, expensive shows was a "leap of f
- More Local News Headlines
