The Missouri Department of Natural Resources would like to thank Missouri voters for their continued support of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.
“We are very honored Missouri voters demonstrated their confidence in the Missouri Department of Natural Resources to protect their state parks, historic sites, water quality and soil resources,” said Kurt Schaefer, director of the department.
“Because the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax sunsets every 10 years, voters are familiar with it and understand how the money is spent.
The Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax is a statewide one-tenth of 1% sales tax providing dedicated funding for Missouri’s 93 state parks and historic sites and soil and water conservation efforts.
The revenue generated by the sales tax is split equally, with half going to support Missouri state parks and historic sites, and half going to soil and water conservation practices.
Missouri’s Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax generates $136 million annually. Missourians benefit from the sales tax in a number of ways.
Missouri is one of only eight states that allows free access into its 93 state parks and historic sites. More than 20 million people, including 1.3 million overnight guests, visit Missouri’s state park system annually.
The system, routinely ranked among the top four in the country, consistently receives a 96% approval rating from guests.
A recent economic impact analysis conducted by the University of Missouri revealed Missouri’s state park system is a powerhouse for the state’s economy, generating about $1.5 billion in total business sales and supporting nearly 12,000 jobs.
The system operates on a $68 million annual budget but brings a much bigger economic benefit to Missouri citizens and our visitors.
Tourism, outdoor recreation and cultural interpretation remain as popular today as they’ve ever been. Also, thanks to the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax, the state has saved 195 million tons of soil from eroding off Missouri farmland since 1984.
A portion of the tax is used for Missouri landowners to install soil and water conservation practices through the state cost-share program.
“Now that we have the assurance to move forward to completion, we are setting our sights forward to the next 10 years,” said Schaefer. “Our vision is a future where Missouri’s natural and cultural resources only continue to improve over the next decade, thanks to the passage of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax.”
For MoDNR’s Division of State Parks, the next 10 years will include:
• Completing 28 revenue bond projects across 22 state parks in 21 counties.
• Completing $15 million in capital improvement projects, including Montauk State Park campground loop 5, renovating lodging units at Thousand Hills and Bennett Spring state parks, and the museum gallery renovation at Missouri Mines State Historic Site.
• Opening Shepherd of the Hills and Eleven Point State Parks to public use.
• Celebrating 100-year anniversaries at Roaring River, Meramec and Washington state parks.
• Continuing its focus on public safety by installing additional storm warning sirens in campgrounds across the state.
• Upgrading playgrounds across the state to expand play opportunities to encourage younger generations to enjoy the great outdoors.
First passed in 1984, Missouri’s Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax requires voter approval every 10 years. It would have expired in 2028 if voters had not renewed it this year.
