BLOOMFIELD, Mo. -- The Castor Township Board of Directors approved putting a $.2690 property tax increase on the April 2016 ballot that would increase the tax levy in the Road and Bridge Fund to $.5000, the maximum allowed by state statute. The board approved the ballot issue and submitted it to County Clerk Joe Watson prior to the resignation of Board Member Henry Kestner.
A property tax increase was discussed at a public meeting held Aug. 18. A letter signed by all board members to put a tax increase on the April 2016 ballot was subsequently filed in the county clerk's office. It was incorrectly reported in an article in the Aug. 25 Statesman that the issue was only discussed. In fact, the board had approved the ballot issue. The board at the time was made up of Board Member Randall McCollum, Kestner and Treasurer/Trustee Brooke Smith. The petition was also signed by Clerk Jackie Bradshaw.
According to documents from the Office of the State Auditor, Castor Township currently has a property tax rate of $.2310 in the Road and Bridge Fund and a tax levy of $.3524 in the Special Road and Bridge Fund. The tax levy in the Road and Bridge Fund remains the same after initial approval, but the tax levy for the Special Road and Bridge Fund has to be approved by voters every four years. The board is proposing to increase the tax levy in the regular Road and Bridge Fund to the maximum of $.50 per $100 of assessed valuation.
Missouri law regarding townships provides a road and bridge base levy of 35 cents (Statute 137.585), with an optional increase to 50 cents authorized in 1978 (Article X, Section 12[a]). Such an increase requires one-time voter approval before the change becomes permanent.
"Above this level, an additional 35 cents can be levied, but only for four years before it rolls back and voter approval is required again. Such tax shall be levied by the township board, to be collected by the collector-treasurer and turned into the county treasury, where it shall be known and designated as a special road and bridge fund," according to state Statute.
Castor Township officials have struggled with road and bridge maintenance for several years.
The board made a decision in the early 1990s to do away with collection of the 35-cent additional tax levy in Castor Township. In 2010, the township board supported the additional tax, and it was approved. The 35-cent tax levy generated about $180,000 annually at that time. Voters rejected renewing the special tax in 2013, but it was put back on a special election ballot. It passed in a special August 2013 election.
Even with the special tax, the board has been criticized for maintenance of the roads in the township. One particular road, County Road 413, has been the source of many complaints. The road was paved from One Mile Road north of Dexter to Highway J west of Bloomfield in the late 1990s. The pavement did not hold up. Potholes began appearing soon after the paving. In the last five years, road conditions have worsened. The road is filled with potholes, and many officials consider the road to be a safety concern because of the large potholes on hills.
No clear consensus came out of the public meeting. It would not only take all the limited financial reserves of the township, but the board would have to borrow money to completely repave the road. Residents protested that would leave no funds to maintain the rest of the roads in the township.