Editorials

    After following “Missouri Proposition D, the Gas Tax Increase, Olympic Prize Tax Exemption, and Traffic Reduction Fund Measure,” in the news and in some Letter to the Editor sections across the state, it appears there has been some confusion on how it relates to Special Olympics athletes and the medals they win at their competitions. The ballot measure mentions that a “yes” vote (among other things) “exempts prizes for Special Olympics, Paralympics, and Olympics from state taxes.”

    I have lived in my car and I have lived on a tropical island, but 25 years ago I chose to live in the Ozarks to raise my family. My parents, Jim and Nancy Schmitt, retired to Steelville when I was in high school.

    Another election is fast approaching, and we all need to do our civic duty and vote.

    State-wide Missouri Community Betterment held their annual conference on October 14-15 in Columbia, Missouri. Saint James was awarded Fourth Place for our community project submissions for 2018, and Saint James Youth received a Certificate of Merit for their community project submission.

    I met Theresa Schmitt at a meeting in Rolla. The group was discussing protecting the local creeks and rivers, education and health care. We thought that citizens needed a stronger voice in the state house. It didn't seem that our issues were being helped by the current state representative.

    On 11/06/2018 voters of the St. James Ambulance District will be asked to vote on PROPOSITION LIFE SAFETY, a personal property levy increase of $0.35. The levy will be assessed on $100 of assessed valuation. The levy formula can calculated with a tool on the proposition’s website: