Ambulance district funding on ballot

NEW MADRID -- In New Madrid County, residents will decide whether to change the funding for the ambulance district when they go to the polls Tuesday. Also those in the R-1 School District of New Madrid County will decide two proposals and one community has a local tax issue on the ballot.

The New Madrid County Ambulance District has proposed a quarter-cent sales tax to fund the operation of the district and, in turn, reducing the property tax, which previously funded the operations, by 50 percent.

The New Madrid County R-1 School District is asking patrons to allow the district to borrow $8,993,000 which would include $993,000 in zero-interest bonds to fund improvements to the district's school buildings. A second issue before voters would authorize the board to increase the operating tax levy by 80 cents per $100 dollars of assessed valuation with the increase phased in over an eight-year period. This money would be used, among other things, for teacher salaries.

Marston residents will decide whether to impose a 5-percent hotel tax. The money would be used for tourism purposes including infrastructure improvements.

Running unopposed as Democrats in New Madrid County are: Fred W. Copeland, Circuit 34 judge; Charles Spitler, associate circuit judge; Clyde M. Hawes, presiding commissioner; Marsha Meatte Holiman, circuit court clerk; Clement Cravens, county clerk; Ann Evans Copeland, recorder of deeds; Lewis H. Recker, prosecuting attorney; Brian Mauk, auditor; and Dewayne Nowlin, collector.