FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE COMMITTEE SUBSTITUTE FOR
SENATE BILL NO. 269
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
1050S.02C
AN ACT
To amend chapter 67, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to a city sales tax for public safety, with an emergency clause.
Section A. Chapter 67, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 67.230, to read as follows:
67.230. 1. The governing body of any city of the third classification with more than ten thousand eight hundred but less than ten thousand nine hundred inhabitants located at least partly within a county of the first classification with more than one hundred eighty-four thousand but less than one hundred eighty-eight thousand inhabitants, is hereby authorized to impose, by ordinance or order, a sales tax in the amount of up to one-half of one percent on all retail sales made in such city which are subject to taxation under the provisions of sections 144.010 to 144.525, RSMo, for the purpose of improving the public safety for such city, including but not limited to expenditures on equipment, city employee salaries and benefits, and facilities for police, fire and emergency medical providers. The tax authorized by this section shall be in addition to any and all other sales taxes allowed by law, except that no ordinance or order imposing a sales tax pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be effective unless the governing body of the city submits to the voters of the city, at a county or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the governing body of the city to impose a tax.
2. If the proposal submitted involves only authorization to impose the tax authorized by this section, the ballot of submission shall contain, but need not be limited to, the following language:
"Shall the city of .............. (city's name) impose a citywide sales tax of ............. (insert amount) for the purpose of improving the public safety of the city?
Yes No
If you are in favor of the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "Yes". If you are opposed to the question, place an "X" in the box opposite "No".
If a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the proposal submitted pursuant to this subsection, then the ordinance or order and any amendments thereto shall be in effect on the first day of the second quarter immediately following the election approving the proposal. If a proposal receives less than the required majority, then the governing body of the city shall have no power to impose the sales tax herein authorized unless and until the governing body of the city shall again have submitted another proposal to authorize the governing body of the city to impose the sales tax authorized by this section and such proposal is approved by the required majority of the qualified voters voting thereon. However, in no event shall a proposal pursuant to this section be submitted to the voters sooner than twelve months from the date of the last proposal pursuant to this section.
3. All revenue received by a city from the tax authorized under the provisions of this section shall be deposited in a special trust fund and shall be used solely for improving the public safety for such city for so long as the tax shall remain in effect.
4. Once the tax authorized by this section is abolished or is terminated by any means, all funds remaining in the special trust fund shall be used solely for improving the public safety for the city. Any funds in such special trust fund which are not needed for current expenditures may be invested by the governing body in accordance with applicable laws relating to the investment of other city funds.
5. All sales taxes collected by the director of the department of revenue under this section on behalf of any city, less one percent for cost of collection which shall be deposited in the state's general revenue fund after payment of premiums for surety bonds as provided in section 32.087, RSMo, shall be deposited in a special trust fund, which is hereby created in the state treasury, to be known as the "City Public Safety Sales Tax Trust Fund". The moneys in the trust fund shall not be deemed to be state funds and shall not be commingled with any funds of the state. The provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, to the contrary notwithstanding, money in this fund shall not be transferred and placed to the credit of the general revenue fund. The director of the department of revenue shall keep accurate records of the amount of money in the trust and which was collected in each city imposing a sales tax pursuant to this section, and the records shall be open to the inspection of officers of the city and the public. Not later than the tenth day of each month the director of the department of revenue shall distribute all moneys deposited in the trust fund during the preceding month to the city which levied the tax; such funds shall be deposited with the city treasurer of each such city, and all expenditures of funds arising from the trust fund shall be by an appropriation act to be enacted by the governing body of each such city. Expenditures may be made from the fund for any functions authorized in the ordinance or order adopted by the governing body submitting the tax to the voters.
6. The director of the department of revenue may authorize the state treasurer to make refunds from the amounts in the trust fund and credited to any city for erroneous payments and overpayments made, and may redeem dishonored checks and drafts deposited to the credit of such cities. If any city abolishes the tax, the city shall notify the director of the department of revenue of the action at least ninety days prior to the effective date of the repeal and the director of the department of revenue may order retention in the trust fund, for a period of one year, of two percent of the amount collected after receipt of such notice to cover possible refunds or overpayment of the tax and to redeem dishonored checks and drafts deposited to the credit of such accounts. After one year has elapsed after the effective date of abolition of the tax in such city, the director of the department of revenue shall remit the balance in the account to the city and close the account of that city. The director of the department of revenue shall notify each city of each instance of any amount refunded or any check redeemed from receipts due the city.
7. Except as modified in this section, all provisions of sections 32.085 and 32.087, RSMo, shall apply to the tax imposed pursuant to this section.
Section B. Because of the need to increase revenue for public safety, the enactment of section A of this act is deemed necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health, welfare, peace and safety, and is hereby declared to be an emergency act within the meaning of the constitution, and the enactment of section A of this act shall be in full force and effect upon its passage and approval.