Columbia News

Boone County Commission Will Explore Policy Criteria with Approval of Proposition 1 in April

The Boone County Commission has laid out plans to explore policy criteria with the approval of Proposition 1 in April. If passed by voters, the Commission intends to implement a program that benefits lower to moderate-income seniors while considering the impact on taxing jurisdictions. Commission members have stated, "If passed by voters, the Commission intends to implement a program that benefits the seniors who need it—lower to moderate-income seniors -- while also being aware of impact on the taxing jurisdictions."

In addition, the Commission will assess the effectiveness of the program over time. According to the Commission, "To that point, the Commission will investigate renewing the program after a certain amount of time, to determine whether the program is working as intended."

Furthermore, the Commission is considering specific eligibility criteria for the program. They are contemplating that "the program will only apply to those homesteads with an appraised value of $300,000 or less, as shown by the Boone County assessment file." This decision is expected to benefit a significant portion of the community, as mentioned by the Commission, "This would include 86% of the homes in Boone County."

The Commission is also emphasizing transparency and public engagement in the decision-making process. They have expressed that "The Commission is open to feedback and the adoption of said policy will be the result of a public process that includes public input."

As the April vote on Proposition 1 approaches, the Boone County Commission's commitment to exploring policy criteria reflects a proactive approach to addressing the needs of lower to moderate-income seniors in the community.