Effective - 28 Aug 2003
321.552. Sales tax authorized in certain counties (all except Greene, Platte, Clay, St. Louis, and St. Charles counties) for ambulance and fire protection — ballot language — special trust fund established — refunds authorized. — 1. Except in any county of the first classification with over two hundred thousand inhabitants, or any county of the first classification without a charter form of government and with more than seventy-three thousand seven hundred but less than seventy-three thousand eight hundred inhabitants; or any county of the first classification without a charter form of government and with more than one hundred eighty-four thousand but less than one hundred eighty-eight thousand inhabitants; or any county with a charter form of government with over one million inhabitants; or any county with a charter form of government with over two hundred eighty thousand inhabitants but less than three hundred thousand inhabitants, the governing body of any ambulance or fire protection district may impose a sales tax in an amount up to one-half of one percent on all retail sales made in such ambulance or fire protection district which are subject to taxation pursuant to the provisions of sections 144.010 to 144.525 provided that such sales tax shall be accompanied by a reduction in the district's tax rate as defined in section 137.073. The tax authorized by this section shall be in addition to any and all other sales taxes allowed by law, except that no sales tax imposed pursuant to the provisions of this section shall be effective unless the governing body of the ambulance or fire protection district submits to the voters of such ambulance or fire protection district, at a municipal or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the governing body of the ambulance or fire protection district to impose a tax pursuant to this section.
2. The ballot of submission shall contain, but need not be limited to, the following language:
3. If a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the proposal, then the sales tax authorized in this section shall be in effect and the governing body of the ambulance or fire protection district shall lower the level of its tax rate by an amount which reduces property tax revenues by an amount equal to fifty percent of the amount of sales tax collected in the preceding year. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters voting are opposed to the proposal, then the governing body of the ambulance or fire protection district shall not impose the sales tax authorized in this section unless and until the governing body of such ambulance or fire protection district resubmits a proposal to authorize the governing body of the ambulance or fire protection district to impose the sales tax authorized by this section and such proposal is approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting thereon.
4. All revenue received by a district from the tax authorized pursuant to this section shall be deposited in a special trust fund, and be used solely for the purposes specified in the proposal submitted pursuant to this section for so long as the tax shall remain in effect.
5. All sales taxes collected by the director of revenue pursuant to this section, less one percent for cost of collection which shall be deposited in the state's general revenue fund after payment of premiums for surety bonds as provided in section 32.087, shall be deposited in a special trust fund, which is hereby created, to be known as the "Ambulance or Fire Protection District Sales Tax Trust Fund". The moneys in the ambulance or fire protection district sales tax trust fund shall not be deemed to be state funds and shall not be commingled with any funds of the state. The director of revenue shall keep accurate records of the amount of money in the trust and the amount collected in each district imposing a sales tax pursuant to this section, and the records shall be open to inspection by officers of the county and to the public. Not later than the tenth day of each month the director of revenue shall distribute all moneys deposited in the trust fund during the preceding month to the governing body of the district which levied the tax; such funds shall be deposited with the board treasurer of each such district.
6. The director of revenue may make refunds from the amounts in the trust fund and credit any district for erroneous payments and overpayments made, and may redeem dishonored checks and drafts deposited to the credit of such district. If any district abolishes the tax, the district shall notify the director of revenue of the action at least ninety days prior to the effective date of the repeal and the director of revenue may order retention in the trust fund, for a period of one year, of two percent of the amount collected after receipt of such notice to cover possible refunds or overpayment of the tax and to redeem dishonored checks and drafts deposited to the credit of such accounts. After one year has elapsed after the effective date of abolition of the tax in such district, the director of revenue shall remit the balance in the account to the district and close the account of that district. The director of revenue shall notify each district of each instance of any amount refunded or any check redeemed from receipts due the district.
7. Except as modified in this section, all provisions of sections 32.085 and 32.087 shall apply to the tax imposed pursuant to this section.
--------
(L. 2002 S.B. 1107, A.L. 2003 S.B. 68)
Structure Missouri Revised Statutes
Title XXI - Public Safety and Morals
Chapter 321 - Fire Protection Districts
Section 321.010 - Definitions — election procedure.
Section 321.020 - Circuit court may establish districts.
Section 321.030 - Petition required for organization of fire district — who to sign.
Section 321.040 - Contents of petition.
Section 321.050 - Amendment of petition — similar petitions or duplicates.
Section 321.070 - Publication of notice of hearing — fixing time and place.
Section 321.080 - Jurisdiction of proceedings — judge owning property not disqualified.
Section 321.090 - Protesting petition may be filed — who to sign — contents.
Section 321.100 - Hearing — adjudication — corporate powers.
Section 321.110 - Dismissal of proceedings — costs — review.
Section 321.130 - Directors, qualifications — candidate filing fee, oath.
Section 321.150 - Filing of copies of findings and decrees incorporating district.
Section 321.160 - Board members to file oaths of office — surety bonds.
Section 321.162 - Educational training required for board of directors.
Section 321.170 - Board to select officers — seal — records.
Section 321.180 - Treasurer's duties — file bond — make annual financial statement.
Section 321.210 - Election and terms of directors — filing fee.
Section 321.220 - Powers of board — employee benefits plan.
Section 321.221 - Municipality purchasing fire protection, annual payments, how computed.
Section 321.230 - Power to levy and collect ad valorem taxes.
Section 321.240 - Tax levy, election, when — form of ballot.
Section 321.241 - Additional tax levy, when — form of ballot.
Section 321.244 - Reduced tax levy may be increased to maximum limits, by elections, ballot form.
Section 321.245 - Personnel and equipment required for dispatching center.
Section 321.250 - Board to certify rate of levy to county commission.
Section 321.260 - Matters considered when certifying annual levies — additional levies.
Section 321.270 - Duty to levy and collect taxes — delinquent taxes constitute a lien.
Section 321.280 - Property may be sold for nonpayment of taxes.
Section 321.290 - Reserve fund, taxes for.
Section 321.302 - Recording of boundary extension, duties — fees.
Section 321.310 - Exclusion of property from district on petition of property owners.
Section 321.320 - Property in city of 40,000 inhabitants not wholly within district, to be excluded.
Section 321.330 - Property not to be subject to taxes, when.
Section 321.340 - Bonds of district.
Section 321.350 - Election to vote on issuing bonds or creating indebtedness.
Section 321.360 - Form of ballot.
Section 321.370 - Results of election to be announced.
Section 321.380 - Percentage necessary to create indebtedness — subsequent submission.
Section 321.390 - Petition for dissolution of district — submission of question.
Section 321.400 - Circuit court may call for an election to determine dissolution of district.
Section 321.410 - Effect of dissolution — appointment of trustee.
Section 321.430 - Prior obligations remain valid.
Section 321.440 - When notice not given as required, procedure of court.
Section 321.450 - Cases arising under this chapter to be advanced on docket — courts always open.
Section 321.465 - Consolidated district, status — transfer of assets and liabilities.
Section 321.470 - Recording of order of consolidation — fee (constitutional charter counties).
Section 321.490 - Initiative and referendum authorized.
Section 321.495 - Form of petition.
Section 321.506 - Fire district may contract with private provider — ballot.
Section 321.556 - Repeal of sales tax, procedure, exceptions — ballot language.
Section 321.688 - Consolidation of districts — ballot language — effect of.
Section 321.700 - Dissolution of district, funds distributed to city, when.
Section 321.701 - Members of board subject to recall — exceptions.
Section 321.707 - Petition for recall, content.
Section 321.709 - Affidavit to be attached to each section of the petition — content.
Section 321.716 - Laws governing recall election, costs, how paid.