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Issue: 1181 Date: 4/11/2013
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Parks, Arch grounds will get funding boost from increased sales tax
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The so-called Arch Tax was approved April 2, 2013 by voters in both St. Louis City and County and its supporters say the money will strengthen parks.
The 3/16th of a cent sales tax cruised to victory in the city with 67 percent of the vote, but faced a stiffer challenge in the county where it received about 52 percent of the vote.
Its approval means millions of dollars toward improving the parks and trails in both the city and county and the Arch grounds.
Great Rivers Greenway will manage the revenue. Susan Trautman is executive director of the publicly funded agency and says spruced up trails and parks will help attract companies and jobs to the region.
"It makes St. Louis a better place to live," Trautman says. "Voters and supporters said that today, they love their parks, they love this region, they want to be part of making change. And we're going to do it, we're going to deliver."
She says the plan is to have all projects completed by 2015.
Critics, however, say the tax is unnecessary and that the city and county have more pressing areas of concern.
Jennifer Bird is a Republican Committeewoman in St. Louis County who is with the Vote No on Prop P campaign.
She says the 3/16th of a cent sales tax will lead to a slippery slope of further taxation.
"This is how they get you," Bird says. "What's the best way to boil a frog? Put him in the water and raise the temperature slowly, because by the time he realizes what's going on it's too late for him to jump out."
Bird has several concerns about the tax, including whether there is adequate oversight of the groups that will administer the funds.
She adds that she will actively campaign against the tax should supporters make a push to get it on the ballot in St. Charles County. |
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