Latest news with #PattyLewis
Yahoo
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Missouri Democrats blocks vote to repeal Amendment 3
ST. LOUIS – The Missouri Senate is embroiled in a heated debate over abortion rights and gender-related care as Republicans push to repeal Amendment 3 before the legislative session ends Friday at 6 p.m. Amendment 3, which was approved by nearly 52 percent of voters last year, protects abortion rights in Missouri up to the point of fetal viability. However, Republicans are seeking to replace it with a new constitutional amendment that would allow abortion only in cases of rape, incest, or medical emergency and would ban gender-affirming care for minors. Senator Adam Schnelting of St. Charles argues that Amendment 3 goes too far, claiming that most Missourians 'do not want abortion on demand.' Senator Patty Lewis of Kansas City accused Republicans of using 'ballot candy' to mislead voters by adding unrelated language to the proposal. Police spike dozens of reckless drivers in slideshows across St. Louis The debate in Jefferson City intensified on Monday night as Republicans opened discussions on the proposal to repeal Amendment 3. However, after just two hours, Democrats began blocking a vote, effectively stalling the debate. The proposed amendment has already passed in the House, and now the GOP is racing against the clock to get the measure on the ballot before the session ends. The proposal's inclusion of a ban on gender-affirming care for minors has added to the controversy, with opponents arguing that it infringes on the rights of transgender youth. As the legislative session deadline approaches, the future of Amendment 3 and the proposed changes remains uncertain, with both sides entrenched in their positions. All facts from this article were gathered by KTVI journalists. This article was converted into this format with assistance from artificial intelligence. It has been edited and approved by KTVI staff. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
03-05-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Granville gets Home Rule, eyes January sales tax rollout
May 2—GRANVILLE — Mayor Patty Lewis said she's currently projecting the implementation of a 1 % sales tax to take effect Jan. 1 in Granville. The town received permission to do so late last month, when the West Virginia Home Rule Board made it the third Home Rule community in Monongalia County. Granville was one of four Mountain State municipalities — all Class IV — approved during the board's first meeting of 2025. The others are Farmington, Roncevert and Welch. Class IV is the state's smallest municipal classification — typically with a population of 2, 000 or less. Per state code, only four Class IV municipalities can be approved for Home Rule per year. All told, there are now 68 municipalities in the Home Rule program, which began as a four-city pilot program in 2007 with the goal of giving the state's municipalities freedom within the law to tackle unique challenges. In October 2014, the pilot cities of Bridgeport, Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling were joined by 16 additional municipalities, including Morgantown, as part of the expanded pilot program. As of January 2019, Home Rule is permanent. Westover became the state's 60th Home Rule city in October 2023. Both Morgantown and Westover have implemented municipal sales taxes via Home Rule. Morgantown's tax took effect in July 2020 and is expected to generate about $10 million in the current fiscal year. Westover's tax went into effect in July 2024, and is expected to bring in about $3.3 million. According to Granville's application, the town anticipates its sales tax will initially generate just over $4.4 million annually. As a requirement of establishing the tax, the town must reduce its business and occupation privilege taxes—meaning non-construction B &O taxes. Those taxes fall into a number of categories, including amusement, banking, contracting, manufacturing, public service utility, rental, retail, service and wholesale. Granville is proposing a rate reduction on retailers from.0050 to.0040, which, based on fiscal year 2023 numbers, would represent about $593, 420 on just under $591.2 million in retail sales. The elimination of B &O taxes on amusements ($7, 076.08) and a rate reduction on financial institutions from.01 to.0050 ($34, 840.37) bring the total estimated B &O cuts to $635, 336.59 and the net gain of implementing the sales tax to $3, 765, 250.97. Lewis previously said the tax is a hedge against legislative discussions in Charleston regarding the elimination of the business and occupation taxes. When the legislature eliminated B &O taxes on automobile sales starting July 1, 2023, the town lost taxes on an estimated $127 million in car sales annually from the four dealerships within its small footprint. While the sales tax is undoubtedly the headliner, Granville's Home Rule application includes four other initiatives, including:—Disposition of property and equipment without public auction—This would allow the town to directly dispose of real estate and personal property without auction in appropriate circumstances and to consider the value of public services to the provided or economic development expected when determining a fair value for the lease or sale of property.—On-the-spot citations—This would allow the town to issue citations immediately for life safety code, health and sanitation, and public nuisance violations.—Liens for solid waste fees—This would allow the town to place liens without instituting a civil action to collect unpaid fees for solid waste collection. Prior to enactment, each of these items—including the sales tax—must be individually adopted by ordinance of the town council.
Dominion Post
03-05-2025
- Business
- Dominion Post
Granville gets Home Rule, eyes January sales tax rollout
GRANVILLE — Mayor Patty Lewis said she's currently projecting the implementation of a 1% sales tax to take effect Jan. 1 in Granville. The town received permission to do so late last month, when the West Virginia Home Rule Board made it the third Home Rule community in Monongalia County. Granville was one of four Mountain State municipalities – all Class IV – approved during the board's first meeting of 2025. The others are Farmington, Roncevert and Welch. Class IV is the state's smallest municipal classification – typically with a population of 2,000 or less. Per state code, only four Class IV municipalities can be approved for Home Rule per year. All told, there are now 68 municipalities in the Home Rule program, which began as a four-city pilot program in 2007 with the goal of giving the state's municipalities freedom within the law to tackle unique challenges. In October 2014, the pilot cities of Bridgeport, Charleston, Huntington and Wheeling were joined by 16 additional municipalities, including Morgantown, as part of the expanded pilot program. As of January 2019, Home Rule is permanent. Westover became the state's 60th Home Rule city in October 2023. Both Morgantown and Westover have implemented municipal sales taxes via Home Rule. Morgantown's tax took effect in July 2020 and is expected to generate about $10 million in the current fiscal year. Westover's tax went into effect in July 2024, and is expected to bring in about $3.3 million. According to Granville's application, the town anticipates its sales tax will initially generate just over $4.4 million annually. As a requirement of establishing the tax, the town must reduce its business and occupation privilege taxes — meaning non-construction B&O taxes. Those taxes fall into a number of categories, including amusement, banking, contracting, manufacturing, public service utility, rental, retail, service and wholesale. Granville is proposing a rate reduction on retailers from .0050 to .0040, which, based on fiscal year 2023 numbers, would represent about $593,420 on just under $591.2 million in retail sales. The elimination of B&O taxes on amusements ($7,076.08) and a rate reduction on financial institutions from .01 to .0050 ($34,840.37) bring the total estimated B&O cuts to $635,336.59 and the net gain of implementing the sales tax to $3,765,250.97. Lewis previously said the tax is a hedge against legislative discussions in Charleston regarding the elimination of the business and occupation taxes. When the legislature eliminated B&O taxes on automobile sales starting July 1, 2023, the town lost taxes on an estimated $127 million in car sales annually from the four dealerships within its small footprint. While the sales tax is undoubtedly the headliner, Granville's Home Rule application includes four other initiatives, including: — Disposition of property and equipment without public auction — This would allow the town to directly dispose of real estate and personal property without auction in appropriate circumstances and to consider the value of public services to the provided or economic development expected when determining a fair value for the lease or sale of property. — On-the-spot citations — This would allow the town to issue citations immediately for life safety code, health and sanitation, and public nuisance violations. — Liens for solid waste fees — This would allow the town to place liens without instituting a civil action to collect unpaid fees for solid waste collection. Prior to enactment, each of these items — including the sales tax — must be individually adopted by ordinance of the town council.
