With less than a week to go before election, here is what's on the ballot, what candidates spent

Charles Dunlap, Columbia Daily Tribune
·4 min read

The final push for Columbia's municipal election is here.

In less than a week, voters will select two new Columbia City Council members, decide sales tax questions for recreational marijuana from both the city and county, and decide a bond issue for those that live within the Boone County Fire Protection District.

How sales tax, bond issues will affect the community

The sales tax questions relate to an imposition of 3% tax after voters statewide approved recreational sales. Conflicting guidance from the Missouri Department of Revenue has made it unclear if the taxes could be imposed in addition to the state's 6% sales tax on recreational sales, city and county representatives said at a League of Women Voters forum this month.

The no-tax increase bond issue from the Boone County Fire Protection District totals $8 million and is part of the ongoing 10-year plan for truck and apparatus replacement, along with facility improvements and replacement. One-quarter of the bond will go toward replacing one fire engine and two 1,500-gallon tanker trucks.

Another $1 million is for other equipment, such as thermal imaging cameras and battery-powered Jaws of Life equipment. The remaining $5 million will go toward building a new No. 8 station on South Route K. The land directly adjacent to the current station was purchased after the bond issue vote in 2021.

Wards 1 and 5 to be decided

First Ward Columbia City Council Candidate Nick Knoth provides his perspectives last week on business development and attraction during a Columbia Chamber of Commerce forum held at the Missouri State High School Activities Association office.
First Ward Columbia City Council Candidate Nick Knoth provides his perspectives last week on business development and attraction during a Columbia Chamber of Commerce forum held at the Missouri State High School Activities Association office.

Ward 1 and Ward 5 council seats are up for election. Ward 1 incumbent Pat Fowler suspended her campaign toward the end of last month, paving the way for her challenger Nick Knoth to take the seat on the council. Her name will remain on the ballot, though she no longer aims to retain her seat.

Candidates were required to file eight-day prior campaign finance reports Monday with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

Knoth through the entire election cycle raised $6,532 on his campaign.

More: Housing, ARPA top topics at first of two Muleskinners council candidate forums

Between Monday's report and the 40-day before report filed in February, Knoth received $3,409 in contributions, adding to the $679 he already had on hand. Expenses during the reporting period totaled $1,522, leaving him with $2,567 in cash on hand. Total expenses since the start of the election cycle are $3,965. He has no outstanding debt.

Notable monetary contributions came from the city's firefighters union political action committee at $2,000 and Builders Association PAC for $500. Expenses during the reporting period were for food from HotBox Cookies for an event and for a mailing.

The Ward 5 race remains contested with Don Waterman and Gregg Bush both seeking the seat.

Ward 5 Columbia City Council candidates Gregg Bush and Don Waterman participate in a January forum hosted by Columbia Board of Realtors.
Ward 5 Columbia City Council candidates Gregg Bush and Don Waterman participate in a January forum hosted by Columbia Board of Realtors.

More: Accountability takes focus of Ward 5 candidate forum

Waterman has raised $7,804 the entire election cycle, where $6,679 in monetary contributions came between the 40-day before and Monday's eight-day before reports. His campaign started with $224 in cash on hand at the start of the reporting period.

Following the contributions, and expenses of $6,118, Waterman was left with $1,085 in cash-on hand. He has no outstanding debt.

Notable monetary contributions during the reporting period came from Waterman himself of $1,500; the Citizens for a Safe Columbia PAC, which is supported by the Columbia Police Officers Association, at $2,000; and John Prevo of Tiger Tots and Market Ready LLC, early child education and real estate, respectively, at $1,000.

Expenses related to website maintenance, mailings, advertising and yard signs.

Bush filed an amended eight-day before report to update total in-kind and other itemized donations after the first report was filed. He has raised $15,007 for the entire election cycle, with $2,637 of monetary contributions coming between the 40-day before and eight-day before report Monday. A majority of donations were in-kind during the reporting period, totaling $4,877.

Bush's campaign started the reporting period with $4,860 in cash on hand. Following monetary contributions and expenses of $4,753, he was left with $2,745. He has $500 in outstanding debt.

A notable contribution came from the Columbia Firefighters PAC totaling $1,800, from $500 monetary and $1,300 in-kind. Individual monetary contributions did not exceed $500. Missouri and Kansas Laborers PAC provided $3,577 of in-kind donations.

Expenses went toward postage, yard signs, event food and marketing and graphic services from 360 CoMo LLC.

Charles Dunlap covers local government, community stories and other general subjects for the Tribune. You can reach him at cdunlap@columbiatribune.com or @CD_CDT on Twitter. Subscribe to support vital local journalism.

This article originally appeared on Columbia Daily Tribune: Here is what Columbia City Council candidates made, spent on campaigns