Grundy County voters will see a ballot measure on April 2 involving a use tax for the county. If approved, the use tax would be 1.5%, which is the same as the total of the three half-percent local county sales taxes.
Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray explains that a use tax is a tax on the purchase of goods by Missouri residents from out-of-state vendors.
Products exempt from the local sales tax would also be exempt from the use tax.
The use tax would apply to all Grundy County residents who do not reside within the Trenton city limits because the City of Trenton already has a use tax.
Ray says a use tax would level the playing field for merchants.
First District Commissioner Don Sager notes that if a Grundy County resident makes an online purchase from a local retailer, even if it is from a chain company, the retailer may be collecting a sales tax on the purchase. He explains that if a resident pays a sales tax on a purchase, that person will not pay a use tax on the same purchase.
Second District Commissioner Brad Chumbley says if a resident does not make out-of-state purchases, the use tax will not affect that resident.
Sager notes that as online purchases increase, local revenues decrease. He says funds generated from the use tax will be used to pay for vital services locally, such as infrastructure and public safety.
Ray says Grundy County is no different than any other county. He notes Grundy County is a Class 3 county.
Ray researched the income that could be generated for Grundy County from the use tax. He says most courthouses were able to “ballpark” the amount generated in other counties. The amount fluctuates from year to year.
Any time Grundy County can get help to stay out of a deficit budget is a benefit.
Ray says the county continues to face unfunded mandates.
Every registered voter in Grundy County can vote on the county use tax proposal on April 2, whether the resident is inside or outside the Trenton city limits.
The proposed Grundy County use tax to be on the April 2 ballot would help the county pay for services like infrastructure and public safety.
The Grundy County Courthouse was constructed in 1903, Rays says it is beautiful and calls it an “absolute priority” to take care of the property. There will not be another courthouse like it.
Grundy County residents voted in 2022 to make the prosecuting attorney a full-time position.
Ray says he has seen Senate Bill 53 work with the sheriffs’ salary and pension for sheriffs’ retirement, and there has been discussion on pay rates for that.
When the state brings unfunded mandates on elected officials’ salaries, the state also removes those officials from the salary commission. He explains that means the prosecuting attorney and sheriff are not part of the discussion, but the Grundy County Commission has to budget and fund the positions.
The proposed Grundy County use tax would add 1.5% to what is charged as the use tax at the state level. Ray says that would bring the online sales tax value to 5.725% for the county, which is equal to the local Grundy County sales tax.
One of the county’s two general revenue sales taxes helps in part with funding the ambulance.
Why should Grundy County residents vote for the use tax? First District Commissioner Don Sager says the proposed use tax would put local businesses on the same playing field as online companies.
The Grundy County Commission may be contacted for more information on the use tax. Call the Grundy County Clerk’s Office at 660-359-4040 to get the contact information for the county commissioners.
