Camden County Gadfly’s Picks for April 2024

There is a Municipal Election approaching on April 2, 2024, and I realize it can be hard to keep abreast of all of the different local elections so I’m often asked who/what I would vote for and why. Prior to each election, I try to post a quick list of the Gadfly’s Picks for readers who might be unfamiliar with a particular election and prefer not to vote by random selection.

This is not an attempt to tell people how to vote. Everyone should vote for themselves, but if your votes do align with mine, I have to confess I’m impressed with your intellect and good judgement.

The first election facing me on the ballot is the School of the Osage School Board.

I have two daughters at the high school, so I might pay more attention to this election than some. Even voters without children should care about school board elections because these kids are going to grow up to be your doctors, nurses, police officers, lawyers, electricians, and so on.

I’m a big believer that the School Board is the voice of the voting taxpayers and the main check and balance to the power of the school administration and its executives. Just three years ago, the School of the Osage School Board met in a tiny conference room and their meetings were never posted online. When you walked into a meeting, you felt like you had interrupted a session of the Star Chamber.

The School Board now meets in the Fieldhouse, their meetings are recorded, and they are posted online so parents and taxpayers can watch the meetings if they can’t attend. Did the board do this voluntarily? Heck no. They had to be dragged kicking and screaming into the modern world of government transparency.

The candidates for this election are B.J. Page, Joyce Bush, and C. Michael Williams. There are two empty positions.

Page has been on the School Board for over a decade. Time for some new blood.

Williams was previously an administrator at Osage High School. Hmmm. Not sure I want another administrator sitting on the board.

Joyce Bush has a daughter and 3 grandchildren currently in the school district. She wants to re-examine the school district’s four-day school week and make sure it’s benefiting the students. She also feels that there should be a balance between in-person teaching and use of technology in the classroom. Most importantly, I know that Joyce attends almost all of the meetings and won’t be afraid to ask questions or challenge the administration if she thinks something is wrong.

Joyce Bush is my choice for School of the Osage School Board.

You can check out her positions on her Facebook Page: Elect Joyce Bush for School Board.

She’s also not afraid to admit she’s a conservative. Anybody who says that school board elections are still non-partisan either hasn’t watched the news for the past 7 years or prefers to hide their political leanings.

Even though there are two seats open, I will cast a single vote for Joyce. It’s really the only way to get a new board member elected who isn’t pre-approved by the current regime.

The next election is for Lake Ozark Fire Protection District Board of Director.

Michael Bayless is the candidate I’m voting for. He knocked on my front door the other day and we had a long conversation about his qualifications. He has been a firefighter for over 30 years and is currently employed as a firefighter. He emphasized that he was concerned about ensuring that the fire district is fiscally sound and he planned to be a good steward of the district’s tax revenue. He wanted to focus on retaining good personnel and eliminating unnecessary spending. With the new tax measures on this ballot, this perspective was music to my ears.

Michael Bayless for LOFPD Director.

And then we get to the two sales tax increase measures.

Lake Ozark Fire Protection District is requesting two “one-half cent” sales tax increases. One will provide revenue for the Ambulance Service and the other will provide revenue for the fire protection portion of the LOFPD.

Passing both of these measures will increase the sales tax in the district by 1%.

The fire district is currently funded by property tax. Mo Statute 321.552 states that if this sales tax increase passes, the property tax revenue collected by the fire district will be reduced by 50% of the increase in sales tax. So if the increase in sales tax generates a sales tax revenue increase of $1 million, the total property tax revenue collected from property owners would be reduced by $500,000.

The intention is that a sales tax increase would put some of the burden on tourists, consumers and visitors instead of placing all of the burden on the property owners.

https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=321.552

This is a very contentious issue because the fire district already pulls in pretty good revenue from its property tax base. Folks are also getting a little tired of seeing constant increases in sales tax. Especially sales tax increases that don’t sunset. Check out your receipt the next time you go shopping and you might be surprised to see that in some shopping districts, you’re paying 9% or 10% in sales tax. Add in the cost of inflation and one wonders how much taxpayers are willing to bear.

This is a tough one for me because I would have preferred to have seen a sales tax increase that would have an expiration date on it. We’re already paying a “half-cent” sales tax for the Camden County Sheriff’s Office, but emergency response is one of those services you really never truly appreciate until you need them.

The next voting item is Horseshoe Bend Special Road District #1 Question.

Should we retain the 35 cent extra levy for a four year period?

I say Yes!

The HBSRD roads are in great condition and it’s easy to take them for granted until you start to drive around in Shawnee Bend. Sheesh, those roads need help. You couldn’t get a better comparison of what life is like with and without a special road district. When I sit at Commission meetings and hear, day after day, how much people complain about their roads, I know this is money well spent.

So that’s it.

To sum up:

Joyce Bush for School of the Osage School Board.

Michael Bayless for LOFPD Director.

LOFPD Sales Tax Increases: Maybe?

Horseshoe Bend Special Road District #1 Question: YES!