Spring 2023
Happy 2023 to all our residents! There are so many things going on that it is hard to know where to begin.
First of all, our City Council unanimously approved the recommendation of the Tax Increment Financing (TIF) Commission on December 14. This will pave the way for financing of infrastructure projects within a redeveloped Chesterfield Mall (which we envision to become a downtown Chesterfield) and the surrounding area in the coming years. These projects will be paid for by developers and property owners whose properties are improved, resulting in increased property and assessed. There are no subsidies or tax abatements, and no increase in sales or property taxes to our residents. Chesterfield will not be a guarantor of any financing associated with these projects, however, our City and its residents will benefit from the completion of these projects. Projects that will benefit the surrounding area are North Outer 40 connection to Chesterfield Parkway West and Swingley Ridge, upgrading the bridge on Baxter over Bonhomme Creek, improvements to the Central Park area, and Clarkson-Baxter interchange improvements.
Use Tax
At the January 17 City Council Meeting, an ordinance was approved to place the Use Tax on the April 4 ballot. The measure narrowly failed last year and it is thought that if the voters are better informed and educated, the chance of passage will be different. History and facts about a Use Tax are as follows:
•Passage would extend existing 1% tax to purchases from out-of-state
•There is no increase in the existing rate of municipal tax
•Original passage was for all purchases, not just those from within Missouri
•Loophole in law was created by Supreme Court in 1992 (Quill vs. North Dakota)
•Loophole was closed by Supreme Court in 2018 (South Dakota vs. Wayfair)
•In 2021, the Missouri Legislature passed the Use Tax for the State of Missouri, but required local governments to obtain voter approval
•Revenue from this source would come to the General Revenue for Police, Parks, Public Works, or any municipal service
•Estimates of shopping from out-of-state are in excess of 15% and climbing
•Revenues from a Use Tax would offset declining revenues due to increasing online shopping as well as increasing expenses due to growth and inflation
If you have any questions about the upcoming ballot proposal, please contact your Councilmember or me at 636.537.4706.
Upcoming Chesterfield Kiwanis Prayer Breakfast
Below is information for the annual event that is a wonderful opportunity to hear a great speaker with a special message, while enjoying a breakfast, interacting with fellow residents, and supporting a worthy cause. Please consider this my invitation to join us!
32nd Annual Chesterfield Civic Prayer Breakfast:
The 32nd Annual Chesterfield Civic Prayer Breakfast will be held on Thursday, April 20 at 7 a.m. at the Doubletree Hotel & Conference Center. The event was cancelled from 2020 thru 2022 due to Covid. This year’s keynote speaker is Rich McClure, the former CEO of UniGroup. He has held public policy positions as Chief of Staff to then-Missouri Governor and former U.S. Attorney General John Ashcroft, and Chief of Staff to Governor Jim Thompson of Illinois. He co-chaired the Ferguson Commission to address the underlying causes of social unrest in St. Louis. He currently chairs the Board of Trustees of St. Louis Children’s Hospital and serves on the BJC System board. He recently served as chair of the board of United Way of Greater St. Louis. He serves as a director on the board of World Wide Technology, and as director of Central Bancompany. He is also on the board of several privately held companies. In 2011, he and his wife were the first couple on the hit CBS show, Undercover Boss, featuring United Van Lines. Recent speakers of the Chesterfield Civic Prayer Breakfast have included Jim Talent, Gary Olson, David Steward, and Mike Matheny.
Join the community in this extraordinary event. Hear Mr. McClure, network with friends, colleagues, and city and state officials, all while making a difference in the lives of children. All proceeds go to support Camp Wyman and Crisis Aid. Individual tickets are $50. There are various sponsorship levels available for small businesses to large corporations. The event is sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Chesterfield. For additional information, please contact Nathan Roach at 636.537.5800. Registrations and sponsorships can be obtained by visiting www.chesterfieldkiwanis.org
I hope to see you out and about.
Cordially,
Mayor Bob Nation