Sweet Springs aldermen put hotel-motel tax proposal on fall ballot

Sweet Springs Board of Aldermen voted 3-0 Monday, July 10, to put a hotel-motel tax proposal on the fall ballot.

Voting yes for putting the guest tax on the Nov. 7 ballot were aldermen Derl Bernard, Ken Hollingsworth and Frany Vaught. Alderman Billie Clevenger was not present at the meeting.

The 5 percent hotel-motel tax could bring in $30,000 a year, officials said. If approved, Sweet Springs would join Marshall in having a hotel-motel tax, officially called a "transient guest tax" on the ballot question. Transient guests are those who occupy a room in a hotel or motel for 31 days or less.

The alderman also passed a resolution in support of a $50,000, three-year commitment to a new downtown revitalization program offered by Gov. Matt Blunt. Mayor Roxanne Hinton first suggested the aldermen offer $30,000 over three years in the application to Blunt's DREAM downtown initiative.

Bernard said $30,000 might not get the state's attention, while $50,000 in local support could be the deal-maker.

Hinton admitted if the town of 1,628 does get a berth in the program, sacrifices will have to be made to meet the $50,000 three-year commitment. The mayor has to submit the DREAM application by Aug. 1.

Aldermen also heard:

-- from representatives of the Saline County Citizens for 911 Central Dispatch. The group wants support for a half--percent sales tax to fund the program and several officials and audience members present Monday signed the petition to put the sales tax addition on the fall ballot. Officials said the goal is to get enhanced 911 service within two years of voter approval.

Contact Charles A. Mason at

marshalleditor@socket.net