HERMANN — Faced with flat revenue and increasing expenses, officials of the Hermann Area Ambulance District will be asking voters in April to approve a half-cent sales tax increase. This will …
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HERMANN — Faced with flat revenue and increasing expenses, officials of the Hermann Area Ambulance District will be asking voters in April to approve a half-cent sales tax increase. This will be the first effort to increase tax revenue in two decades, according to Administrator Mike Mueller.
The district, which provides emergency services to residents of northern Gasconade County and portions of southern Montgomery County and Warren County, has in place a half-cent sales tax that generates about $500,000 a year, as well as as .1235-cent property tax that produces about $220,000 a year.
At tonight’s regular monthly board meeting, President Harold Englert is set to sign a resolution calling for a vote April 8. The district is governed by a six-member board. Other directors include John Noltensmeyer of Montgomery County, Dennis Scheiddeger and Glenn Brandt of Hermann, Debbie Heying of the southern portion of the district and Jim Onken of the northwest portion of Gasconade County.
“I hate to ask voters for a tax increase,” Mueller said Tuesday morning in an interview with the Gasconade County Republican. “But,” he added, “we’ve come to a point where our income is flat and our expenses are going up.”
The district can’t wait any longer to go to the voters, he said.
“We haven’t asked for any money in 20 years,” Mueller added. Passage of a sales tax increase will require only a simple majority vote.