OZARK, Mo. – Voters in Ozark voted against a use tax to fund public safety. 

The 2.375% tax would have gone towards three items deemed necessary by the Ozark Police Department: adding more officers, and police cars, and building a new headquarters.

It failed with  60% of voters choosing “no” on Tuesday.

The tax would have been on out-of-state online purchases, so people who only shop in the city of Ozark at brick-and-mortar businesses would not have had to pay this tax, the Mayor explained in an interview before the election.

Ozark’s Police Chief said his goal was to add a minimum of sevel police officers. He also said the department’s current facility is not designed to function the way it needs to, and that the department needs more space for evidence.

The Police Chief said before the election that if the tax was not approved, the department would have to consider cutting certain programs.

Other cities and counties around the southwest Missouri had law enforcement funding on the ballot as well. Those include Nixa, Strafford, and Ozark County.