Why do we need a renewal if the City has had funding in past years to make improvements to Parks and Stormwater?

Stormwater management is an ongoing project of any city, and Joplin is no different. The past projects focused on culverts and pipe improvements in large creeks and streams throughout the City. The next round of projects will build on the work already completed. It will address stormwater issues in identified neighborhoods such as the Sunnyvale area, as well as initiate the beginning phase of work near I-44. Several stormwater projects will focus on areas out of the main channels and into the neighborhoods. Open and closed portions of the system will be included and regional detention work to reduce flooding possibilities in areas downstream of the detention ponds.

For the Parks portion, areas for new emerging recreational activities along with improving aging facilities are included in the project lists. The Dover Outdoor Recreation and Bike Park will offer several bicycle-related amenities such as a BMX style pump track, a children’s bike playground, and 5 to 7 miles of single-track mountain bike trails, while the bike/pedestrian trail system will also expand with the second phase of the Tin Cup Trail. Maintenance to neighborhood parks along with upgrades and replacements to park amenities will be completed, including new additions to Ewert Park. Ewert Pool will be converted to a large splash park for warm-weather fun, along with a surrounding ice ribbon to offer ice skating in colder months. Through surveys and public meetings, new activities were listed as important to our citizens, and this renewal effort provides a wide variety of projects.

Show All Answers

1. Is this a new tax?
2. If passed, will this ballot issue increase the sales tax for Joplin?
3. What projects would be completed if the renewal of the sales tax passes?
4. What projects were completed with the revenues from the 2011 Parks and Stormwater sales tax?
5. Why are we voting on it now?
6. Why do we need a renewal if the City has had funding in past years to make improvements to Parks and Stormwater?
7. What is the current sales tax rate in Joplin?
8. How are the sales taxes spent by the City?
9. How much of the sales tax does the City of Joplin receive?
10. How much money will be raised if this issue passes?
11. Doesn’t the City have enough dollars to complete these projects without using a Parks and Stormwater tax?
12. If voters approve this, how long will this renewal last?
13. How did the City determine which projects to fund with this sales tax?
14. How will the public know these funds are being spent on the stated projects?
15. What is the Ballot Language for this sales tax renewal?