Seagull Musings Column for May 23, 2004
It has been said that “An army travels on its stomach.” Ten years in the United States Marine Corps convinced an Ole Seagull that an “army’s” stomach travels best when that “army” is traveling on good roads. Is it any different for a destination city like Branson? It’s at its best when residents and visitors alike travel on good roads.
Many can remember how it was trying to get around Branson back in the late 80’s and early 90’s. Basically there was Highway 76, a poor imitation of what the Shepherd of the Hills Expressway is today, and some “secret back routes.” On most days during the season, it was difficult and frustrating for residents and visitors alike to get from point A to point B within Branson.
Think of the traffic and congestion problems we would have today without the expansion of Highway 248 to four lanes from Highway 65 to its junction with Shepherd of the Hills Expressway, the extension and improvement of Gretna Road, improvement of Shepherd of the Hills expressway, Epps Road, Roark Valley Road, Green Mountain Drive, etc. Thanks to the planning, coordination, and efforts of the City of Branson, MODOT, and Taney County, citizens and visitors alike travel on a road system that relieves traffic congestion, provides for the public safety, and enables Branson to service the large influx of visitors that are its economic life blood.
“But Seagull, there are days and weekends during the season when traffic is horrendous?” That’s true, but the good news is that, because of Branson’s transportation planning and infrastructure improvements, it happens so infrequently and that, on average, Branson’s citizens and visitors can get anywhere they want to go within Branson safely and conveniently.
The transportation infrastructure to put Branson in this enviable position is not without cost however and has cost the city tens of millions of dollars. The major source of these funds has been a one half percent retail sales Transportation Tax which has been collected over at least the last ten years. One obvious benefit of a retail sales tax, in a tourist destination city like Branson, is that it shifts the tax burden for the transportation infrastructure needed to service Branson tourists from the shoulders of local residents onto the shoulders of the tourists that infrastructure is designed to service.
Branson’s current Transportation Tax is set to expire in November of 2005 unless the voters of Branson extend the tax.The vote on that extension is set for August. “Why vote so far in advance?” Were an Ole Seagull to hazard a guess it would be a combination of timing the election so that it had the best chance of passage, provide time for resubmission to the voters if the tax fails, and, most important of all, to provide a continuous source of financing so that vital transportation infrastructure construction, maintenance, and planning continues unabated.
“So it won’t be a new tax, just the extension of an old one?” That’s right. “With all the roads etc. that Branson has built over the last ten years why do they need more money?” Does anyone really believe that as Branson expands to the west and the north that new roads, bridges and related infrastructure will not be required? What about the maintenance and improvement of the current transportation infrastructure? How much longer can Branson go without some form of effective public mass transportation?
“I’ve heard a rumor that they want to pass this tax extension for infrastructure improvements for Branson Landing?” Give an Ole Seagull a break, won’t the vast majority, if not all, of the public transportation infrastructure for Branson Landing be paid for by the bonds being issued to finance the public portion of Branson Landing?
It’s not a Branson Landing issue! It’s an issue of continuing to meet Branson’s expanding transportation needs during the coming decades.The good news is that in determining whether or not to extend the Transportation Tax, the community can actually look back over the last ten years and evaluate how their investment of the Transportation Tax has affected our community. Indeed, the chances are excellent, that this very day they will be driving over a road or bridge that was built because of it.
Gary Groman, a.k.a. “The Ole Seagull,” is an independent columnist and the editor of the Branson Courier. He may be reached by clicking here or by calling 417-339-4000.
