State: Ozark County Law Enforcement Tax Can't Be Imposed

Wednesday, January 4, 2023 at 6:49 AM

By Scott McCaulley @smcckc

A tax that was passed by voters in November to help a Lakes Area County support their law enforcement efforts has hit a snag.

The Ozark County Commission releases a statement Tuesday saying that the Missouri State Department of Revenue notified officials the law enforcement sales tax cannot be imposed. The sales tax was to provide funding for the Ozark County Sheriff’s Department.

According to the Ozark County Times, Ozark County Sheriff Cass Martin had to lay off two full-time deputies and five other employees in August due to a budget crisis and the money generated from the additional half-cent sales tax was to fund the department in the future.

The statement, signed by Ozark County Officials and 155th State Representative Travis Smith, says they are working with legislators and other officials to try and figure out their options moving forward.

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