The state Department of Revenue (DOR) has posted a map of Missouri’s special taxing districts and political subdivisions on its website.
State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, speaks on the Missouri House floor on March 12, 2019 (file photo courtesy of Tim Bommel at House Communications)
The Legislature approved a bill in 2018 requiring the map, and gave DOR about a year to comply.
State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, who sponsored the bill, says it’s about transparency.
“Missouri has more taxing districts than virtually anywhere else in the country. We have over 2,200,” Christofanelli says. “Over 1,400 of those are what are known as special taxing districts.”
The map includes ambulance districts, fire protection districts, levee and port authority districts, transportation development districts and school districts.
Representative Christofanelli tells Missourinet there are sales tax rates of 11.5 percent in the Kansas City area, and 10 to 11 percent in the St. Louis region.
“Sales tax disproportionately impacts people of lower incomes, because they spend a greater proportion of their wealth on consumption,” says Christofanelli.
He’s encouraging you to check the map, saying it will help you learn where the districts are.
“Go to (the map) where you live and see what’s in your county and make sure that you feel like you are getting the level of government service that you’re paying for,” Christofanelli says.
He says only 86 percent of taxing districts have turned in their information to the state, adding that he’s working with DOR officials and the taxing districts to get that to 100 percent.
Christofanelli’s 2018 bill requiring the map had strong, bipartisan support. It passed the Senate 28-0 and the House 120-1, and was signed into law by former Governor Eric Greitens (R).
Click here to listen to Brian Hauswirth’s full five-minute interview with State Rep. Phil Christofanelli, R-St. Peters, which was recorded on July 3, 2019:
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