Money Issues Decided in a Number of Communities Tuesday’s Election

In addition to casting ballots in the U-S Senate, Congressional, State Senate and State Representative races, voters in several Ozarks communities decided money issues at the polls on Tuesday.

In Greene County, the Ash Grove Fire Protection District’s $1.65 million bond issue passed with just over 60% of the vote.

Voters in the city of Republic handily approved renewing two 1/4 cent taxes that are added to the city’s current sales tax.

One pays for the park’s current operations and maintenance, and the other pays for new projects, such as building a regional sports complex and expanding the aquatic center.

Question 1 garnered about 69% of the vote, with Question 2 getting about 67% yes votes

In Hickory, voters narrowly approved a 3/4 cent 911 sales tax for providing central dispatching of fire protection, emergency ambulance service, including emergency telephone service. The measure passed with 1,439 yes votes and 1,006 no votes.

In Clever, a $3.5 million bond issue to extend and improve the city’s combined waterworks and sewer system passed easily with 73% of the vote.

And voters in the city of Joplin said “no” to a Public Safety Tax to fund pay increases for police officers and firefighters. The proposal would have increased property and personal property taxes in the amount of $1 per $100 assessed valuation.

The measure had more than 4,400 “no votes,” with nearly 3,600 saying “yes.”