By BRENT MARTIN
St. Joseph Post
Andrew County voters gave strong support to a couple of issues aimed at bolstering law enforcement.
The county November 5th gave 54.96% support to a half-cent law enforcement sales tax and 58.41% support to its companion measure, elevating the prosecutor’s office from part-time to full-time.
Andrew County Eastern District Commissioner, Fritz Hegeman, says the county has seen new businesses opening, established businesses expanding, and North Central Missouri College opening a campus in Savannah.
“We’ve got some good momentum and we kind of wanted to keep that (going) and we knew that some of these things that we have presented this half-cent sales tax to address would hopefully continue that momentum,” Hegeman tells KFEQ/St. Joseph Post.
The half-cent sales tax along with the accompanying increased revenue from the use tax is expected to generate $1.4 million annually. It will pay for making the prosecutor full-time as well as help fund at least five school resource officers.
Hegeman says the sales tax will fund needed improvements for county law enforcement.
“In particular, the full-time prosecuting attorney position,” Hegeman says. “Yeah, we’ve been asking more from a part-time prosecuting attorney than, I think, we deserve to ask, because there’s a lot more work than a part-time prosecuting attorney position.”
Hegeman says the county has found itself in competition with neighbors which have approved raising taxes to fund law enforcement.
“Not only St. Joseph, but other surrounding counties and municipalities have passed law enforcement issues,” Hegeman points out. “And we’re competing against those same entities and counties for deputy sheriffs, deputies, and dispatches and such. We’re kind of behind the eight ball. To be competitive in the marketplace we need to up our game.”
Hegeman is hopeful the county will be able to add more than five school resource officers. It will depend on exactly how much money the tax increase generates. School districts in Andrew County will be asked to contribute to the cost, funding approximately 25% of the cost of an in-school officer.
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