18 months ago, Joplin residents approved an internet use sales tax by a slim margin. Tuesday night at the Joplin city council meeting we got an update on how collections are going and where they are being spent. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro has more.
94 votes, that’s the margin of victory that Proposition Action passed in Joplin in November of 2021.
The proposition allowed the city to tax, out of state, internet purchases at 3.125% which at the time finance officials estimated would generate between 3 and 4 million dollars annually to address declining neighborhoods, homelessness and improve community appearance, in addition to other projects.
Joplin started collecting the tax on January 1, 2022.
Rob O’Brian, chairman of the Proposition Action implementation committee speaking Tuesday said that collections exceed tax projections for the first year.
“End of 12 months of collections, we had 4.3 million dollars, or about $500,000 more than we had anticipated and where we are some 16 months in, is 5.9 million dollars. So a very strong revenue flow.”
O’Brian also highlighted various projects that the Action Committee is working on including at least five houses that have been a part of the Housing Revitalization Program for first-time homebuyers.
The program constructs new homes on property where formerly dilapidated houses once stood.
For 89 9 KRPS News, I’m Fred Fletcher-Fierro
