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Tax dollars could pay for levee repair

February 11, 1997
By: Missy Shelton
State Capitol Bureau

Senate Republican Leader Steve Ehlmann proposed a bill that would use revenue from the parks and soils sales tax for levee repair.

Missy Shelton has the story from Jefferson City.

Story:Missy Shelton
T:
OutCue: SOC

In his bill, Ehlmann proposes using revenue from the parks and soils sales tax for levee repair.

The one-tenth of one percent sales tax supports the state park system and funds water and soil conservation.

The Missouri Conservation Federation opposed the use of the money for levee repair, calling it unconstitutional.

Deidre Hunter is director of the organization.

Actuality:Deidre Hunter
RunTime: 17
OutCue: "...those kinds of purposes."
Contents: "I believe that using that particular funding source for levee repair would not be a constitutional use of that money because it is set in the constitution for enhancing the agricultural productivity of the soil, conservation for those kinds of purposes."

The fiscal statement attached to the bill acknowledges that using revenue from the sales tax is unconstitutional.

But Senator Ehlmann said a precedent set in 1986 authorizes the use of the parks and soils sales tax revenue for levee repair.

Opposition to using parks and soil sales tax revenue also comes from those who argue levee repair is not damage caused by erosion.

Using funds from the sales tax to repair damage caused by erosion is legally considered an appropriate use of the money.

Merle Doughty, a farmer from Livingston County who has been involved with the sales tax since its inception, argued that levee repair is not caused by erosion.

Actuality:Merle Doughty
RunTime: 20
OutCue: "...that's not erosion in itself."
Contents: "The money was proposed and always has been used to address the soil erosion problem in the state of Missouri and what they're proposing here is to use it for building levees which is broken levees and so forth from floods and they think that's erosion, but that's a result of erosion, that's not erosion in itself."

According to Ehlmann, floods damage the soil by causing erosion.

Actuality:Steve Ehlmann
RunTime: 10
OutCue: "...occurs when levees break."
Contents: "I don't know that you can find a better example of damage to our soils than the erosion that occurs when levees break."

The bill would set up a Levee Tax Fund with money coming mainly from a one-tenth of one percent tax on the assessed value of property protected by industrial levees.

The parks and soils sales tax would only be a supplement for the Levee Tax Fund.

Even so, Hunter says the money should not be used in any way for levee repair.

Actuality:Deidre Hunter
RunTime: 20
OutCue: "...to soil conservation needs."
Contents: "Levee repair has never been considered by the Soil and Water Conservation Commission as one of those activities that contributes in a positive manner for production agricultural purposes to soil conservation needs."

Ehlmann said he wants to see flood-plain farmers receive revenue from the parks and soil sales tax.

Actuality:Steve Ehlmann
RunTime: 14
OutCue: "...give them a portion of that."
Contents: "Why should all the money be used for the hill farmers? The flood-plain farmers basically get nothing from that. And this would give them a portion of that."

Disagreement over whether or not the funds should be used for levee repair has not been resolved.

The bill is still under deliberation.