Mayor Bill Falkner gives State of City speech. Photo courtesy St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce
St. Joseph Mayor Bill Falkner wants the community to look at moving forward in light of recent “poor” audit findings of the St. Joseph School District.
“We have a lot of good things going for this community but we can’t sit back and wait for things to happen. We have to keep pushing forward,” said Falkner. “We had disappointing news in the school board audit but if we use this in a very positive way to make the changes that need to be made I believe the school district will come out stronger then ever.”
That comes after State Auditor Tom Schweich released audit findings Tuesday that indicate the school district allegedly gave more than $25 million in unauthorized stipends to administrators since 2001 and possibly more than $40 million over the past 14 years.
“Let’s correct it, let’s move forward and not lose sight that there’s still teachers working very hard in the schools teaching our kids,” said Falkner. “That cannot go unnoticed.”
Mayor Falkner gave his annual State of the City address Friday morning during the St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce’s St. Joe Rising event with around 150 people in attendance.
Falkner told the St. Joseph Post there are a lot of things coming up for the City of St. Joseph.
“We’ve got a use tax coming up which is vital to get it passed anyway, but it will help fund street projects. The council has made it pretty clear we’re wanting to use the additional funds from the use tax to do the streets,” said Falkner.
The use tax is up for vote on the April 7, 2015 ballot. St. Joseph residents will be asked to decide on a local use tax of 2.875% on out-of-state purchases with a 10-year sunset clause.
Photo courtesy St. Joseph Chamber of Commerce
The ballot reads, “Shall the City of St. Joseph, Missouri, impose a local use tax on out-of-state purchases for a period of 10 years at the same rate as the local sales tax rate, currently Two and Eight Hundred Seventy-Five One Hundredths of One Percent (2.875%), in order to preserve existing general fund revenues and provide revenues for streets maintenance activities and to eliminate an inequity between in-state and out-of state businesses due to a recent Missouri Supreme Court decision, provided that if any local sales tax is reduced or raised by voter approval, the respective local use tax rate shall also be reduced or raised by the same action? A use tax return shall not be required to be filed by persons whose purchases from out-of-state vendors do not in total exceed Two Thousand Dollars ($2,000.00) in any calendar year.”
Falkner said it’s also important for people to realize that the city has to spend money on amenities like bike trails, hiking trails, and parks to attract businesses.
“We have to have a workforce here in order to attract businesses,” said Falkner. “You have to have people that want to live here and in order to do that you have to offer them something.”