10/25/2022
There have been numerous questions, a lot of speculation, and some misinformation regarding the upcoming Use Tax question. We understand that everyone is taking their own financial hits from inflation, but we want to clear up a couple things.
1. A use tax is NOT an additional sales tax. It's a tax on purchases we make online from an out of state business. It's the same tax we're already paying when we shop at a local business. We won't be paying any additional taxes when we shop locally or in-person.
2. The Police Department is in dire need of more officers and a new facility. This is not subjective or up for debate, it's a fact. The officers are working five days a week, and oftentimes they're working extra assignments that require them to work six or even seven days a week. Due to the current staffing levels, some officers work seven or even ten days consecutively with limited time with their own families. Each year, officers struggle to find days to actually use the paid time off awarded to them by the city, due to minimum staffing requirements. If you think the current facility is acceptable, please, go take a tour. From a lack of adequate bathrooms and changing areas to limited space for processing paperwork and evidence, you'll quickly see that the lack of space alone is sufficient reason for a new home for the Department. However, the issue doesn't solely rest with the size. What many may not see is the frequent water damage from a leaking roof, broken or inoperable bathrooms, and mold growing in areas throughout.
3. Arguments are made that there are always patrol vehicles parked at the Police Department, which is accurate. At any given point, you'll see that there are vehicles that are unoccupied in the lot. This means that one of the two officers assigned to that car are in between shifts. Many of the vehicles are in use 16+ hours per day, which creates higher maintenance costs and expedites the vehicle's life expectancy.
Aside of the benefits the Police Department will see by the passing of this Use Tax, so will local businesses. These men and women chose to plant their businesses in Ozark and some are being held hostage by an unfair advantage that out of state vendors have by not collecting taxes on our purchases. It's time to equal the playing field and support our local businesses.
Many of us live, shop, and raise our families in this beautiful city. We view it as home, but also as our business. We all routinely invest in our homes and our businesses, so The City of Ozark shouldn't be an exception. Join the members of the Ozark Police Officers Association and many other concerned citizens on November 8th, and lets all do our part to invest in Ozark for a more sustainable future.
OZARK, Mo. – On November 8, voters in Christian County will decide whether or not to approve a Use Tax dedicated to public safety. “The use tax is going to be collected by the vendor th…
