Columbia’s city council has reimposed the voter-approved capital improvement sales tax extension.
Columbia voters overwhelmingly approved the ballot measure in August, a ten-year extension of the city’s one-fourth of one percent capital improvement sales tax. The final vote on Columbia Proposition 1 was 14,086 to 5,696.
City manager De’Carlon Seewood says the extension is expected to generate $83-million in the next decade. The city has identified about 40 possible projects for potential funding, which includes updating and replacing aging fire trucks. The city is also looking at improving south Columbia’s Bethel and Green Meadows intersection. They have a $1-million plan to replace the four-way stop there with a roundabout and to add sidewalks. Other potential projects include planning and building additional public safety infrastructure for both Columbia police and fire. The city is considering a $7-million project to improve busy Clark lane from Woodland Hills to Ballenger. The project would include widening the road, adding bicycle lanes and a center turn lane.
Columbia voters originally approved the capital improvement sales tax in 1991. Voters approved extensions in 1995, 1999, 2005, 2015 and in August of this year.
