Aldermen to Discuss Bringing Transportation Sales Tax Back in Front of Voters

The Board of Aldermen are set to discuss contingency plans should the city not ask voters to renew an existing transportation sales tax that sunsets in December 2014.

If approved by voters, the city would move forward with a variety of new road improvement and extensions. If stonewalled by voters, the city would be stuck at maintaining current roads.

The tax—a half-cent, 15-year deal approved by voters in 1999—has generated nearly $60 million in revenue thus far for the city and funded key transportation projects such as the Wentzville Parkway overpass; Peine Road widening and loop agreement; Interstate 70 Church Street and Highway Z interchange improvements and traffic signals at four key city intersections.

Projects still underway under the tax include the Mexico Road design and construction; Church Street improvements; and studies on a potential Wentzville Parkway South extension and Duello Road improvements.

If voters are cold to the idea, the city would likely revert to funding only key street maintence work and do away with new roadway construction. 

City officials would use the remaining money from the tax—roughly $3.1 million—and spread it over a 5-, 7- or 10-year plan, spending no more than $1.5 million per year for street maintenance. 

According to city documents, the public works department would need an annual maintenance budget of $1.73 million to maintain street quality. 

Wentzville officials—if they decided to again ask voters to support the tax—must approach the St. Charles County Election Authority by May 29 to ensure placement on the Aug. 7 ballot.

According to the presentation to be made tonight, the board identified street maintenance as one of its top three priorities at its May 2011 retreat; and a citizen survey in 2010 showed that traffic flow and congestion was a point of emphasis among Wentzville residents.

The city’s is the only area that received less than a 50-percent approval rating. Forty-three percent of residents gave the city a satisfied or very satisfied rating in this area, but 29 percent of respondents indicated they were dissatisfied.

The board will discuss the issue tonight at its scheduled board meeting, which begins at 6 p.m. at City Hall.

What do you think? Would you support extending the transportation sales tax if it meant new and improved roads? Should the board of alderment bring this issue back in front of the voters? And if so, when?