From Howell County Commissioner Ralph Riggs:
Howell County officials will place a proposal on the April 7th ballot asking voters to repeal the existing 1/2‑cent Capital Improvement Tax and replace it with a 1/2‑cent sales tax for road improvements. This will not increase the current sales tax rate for Howell County.
The current 1/2‑cent Capital Improvement Tax was approved by Howell County voters in 2017 with specific restrictions. Revenue generated from the the current capital improvement tax can only be used for gravel and culverts on county roads, as well as contracting for road improvements. While these funds have supported important upgrades to the county’s transportation infrastructure, the Commission notes that the restricted nature of the tax limits the ability to address the issue of increased equipment and labor costs. Since 2017 equipment and labor costs have risen around 70% while gravel and rock costs have increased about 40%. This leads to a situation where the County is able to purchase more road materials than they have equipment and manpower to apply and maintain.
The proposed change would repeal the existing 1/2 -cent capital improvement tax and replace it with a 1/2‑cent sales tax for road improvements that is not limited to gravel, culverts, or contracted services. County officials state that this change would provide greater flexibility in addressing road improvements and equipment and labor needs.
If approved by voters, the new sales tax would take effect in October 2026 following the repeal of the current Capital Improvement Tax.
For questions or more information, contact Presiding Commissioner Ralph Riggs at 417-256-3872 or email at rriggs@howellcountymo.gov
