City Council votes not to add housing as specific recipient of proposed 3/4-cent sales tax

Despite strident calls from the public Monday, Springfield City Council voted not to add housing as a specific category to be funded by a proposed 3/4-cent sales tax.

The proposed tax, which has been a point of much discussion since September, was officially brought to council as a question to be posed to voters on the November ballot. The current 3/4-cent sales tax, which solely funds the Police and Fire Pension Fund, will expire in March 2025. The proposal would replace that tax with a new one, using the $45 million annually collected for various other city needs.

At the end of June, a citizens' commission tasked with considering the tax finalized their report and came up with the following ballot language:

Shall the City of Springfield, Missouri, enact a city sales tax at the rate of three-quarters of one percent (3/4-cent), one-quarter for the purpose of funding public safety initiatives, to include funding the remaining obligation of the Springfield Police Officers’ and Firefighters’ Pension and increasing police officer and firefighter pay, with said one-quarter to not sunset, and two-quarters for the purpose of funding projects consistent with the City’s comprehensive plan, to include capital improvements, community and neighborhood initiatives, and park projects, with said two-quarters to sunset after a period of ten years?(Note: there will be no increase in the current sales tax level if the 3/4-cent sales tax is approved.)

Ballot language considered for the November ballot

Throughout the Citizens' Commission on Community Investment discussions, which were limited to six total meetings within three months, a point was made that not everything can explicitly be outlined in the ballot question. Instead, city staff advised that other venues, like the ordinance which drafts the ballot language and educational materials leading up to the election, can be used to communicate more specific plans for the tax.

Housing sector calls for specificity, more accountability

In total, 14 people addressed council Monday night. All but one of these, from local non-profit leaders to members of the local tenant union, were supportive of the tax but asked council to add housing to the ballot language to clearly commit to using the tax funds to invest in safe and affordable housing.

In the city where almost 60% of the residents rent and the city lacks a diversified and affordable stock of homes, housing has been a hot topic for years. Members of Springfield Tenants Unite, or STUN, have regularly addressed council regarding housing issues and called for the creation of a rental inspection program. A rental inspection program was also a recommendation that arose from the housing study completed in the fall. Council also recently adopted "Quality Housing Options" as an official council priority with the goal of promoting home ownership and "improving rental housing conditions through code enforcement."

Members of STUN, as well as other community stakeholders, argued that including housing in the ballot language would hold future councils accountable to invest in safe housing programs, including a rental inspection program.

Aaron Schekorra, executive director of the GLO Center, said local LGBTQ residents are disproportionately affected by housing insecurity and overall finding safe and affordable housing.

"Over the past couple of years, I've heard countless city officials say that housing is a priority ... I've heard many of you personally say that is a priority of yours," Schekorra said. "If that is truly the case, it ought to be reflected in this initiative and on the ballot in November."

The city's comprehensive plan Forward SGF outlines neighborhoods and safety and accessibility to housing as a priority, with an entire chapter dedicated to the topic. While the ballot language's reference to the comprehensive plan would mean housing could be eligible as a use of the tax funds, speakers noted that is not enough.

"While I would personally interpret that to include affordable housing, since that was a major input in the public meetings in Forward SGF and to me is and should be included in the community and neighborhood initiatives, I understand that without specific language it is left up to interpretation," Nancy Williams, programs director at Habitat for Humanity of Springfield, said.

Michelle Garand, Vice President of Affordable Housing & Homeless Prevention at Community Partnership of the Ozarks, said that while housing costs over the last four years have climbed, the number of quality housing units for low-income families has shrunk. She said there are currently 927 households in their homeless service system with another 400 awaiting to receive services. Executive Director of Springfield Housing Authority Katie Anderson noted that they have 3,500 families on the waiting list to receive assistance with affordable housing.

Council split on adding clarifying language

With 40 minutes spent hearing feedback from various community leaders, Councilman Brandon Jenson proposed an amendment to the ordinance that would clarify that "community and neighborhood initiatives" include but are not limited to housing and code enforcement.

The amendment would not change the ballot language itself, but rather include a specification within the ordinance to more explicitly outline that housing and code enforcement are a part of the initiatives the tax could fund. In his motion to amend the bill, Jenson said that housing was a discussion and priority during the citizen commission's work, so this change would not overrule their work and it would also not prioritize housing above any other initiative the tax revenue could fund.

Councilman Craig Hosmer said the tax was an opportunity to provide resources to deliver on topics the city has discussed for years, yet has not invested in.

"We have to put our money where our priorities are," he said, emphasizing that safe and affordable housing would also help with crime and neighborhood revitalization. "If we're going to have this city the way we all want this city to be, the first thing we have to do is have safe housing, affordable housing ... Otherwise, it's a lot of talk but no action."

A similar clarification was made before the bill came before the council officially Monday night, explicitly noting that "public safety" means the police and fire departments. Councilwoman Monica Horton said this adjustment was no different.

Councilman Matt Simpson offered the most overt opposition to the amendment, saying that keeping the ordinance as it was stayed true to what the CCCI arrived at through their work and respected the input that the community had already provided through the comprehensive plan process where housing is already highlighted.

"I think what it does do is it changes the source that future councils will use for guidance, and I would prefer that source to be the one created by the people and reflects their vision and priorities for the future of our community including on housing," Simpson said.

More: Springfield City Council preps 3/4-cent sales tax ballot language for November election

While the citizen commission received presentations on the funding needs of the police, fire, parks and public works departments, the city's Building Development Services, which is tasked with code enforcement and whose former director included a rental inspection program in his recommendations , did not have an allocated meeting to present on their financial needs. Outside community organizations also did not have formal time to present their views on needs across the city, though they were able to submit comments and information to the commission members.

Councilwoman Callie Carroll said she was supportive of the housing portion of the amendment but felt hesitant about the code enforcement part due to its specificity. Although Jenson said he was open to a change to get rid of the code enforcement portion, Carroll did not motion to amend the amendment despite city staff presenting that as an option.

Ultimately, the adjustment to the ordinance language was voted down, 4-5, with council members Carroll, Simpson, Derek Lee, Abe McGull and Mayor Ken McClure voting in opposition. The question is not officially going to the ballot yet as the bill is expected to be in front of council for a final vote at its next meeting Aug. 5.

Marta Mieze covers local government at the News-Leader. Have feedback, tips or story ideas? Contact her at mmieze@news-leader.com.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: City Council votes not to add housing as specific recipient of proposed 3/4-cent sales tax