Mayor Bob McDavid was in a solemn mood Tuesday evening after learning Columbia residents voted against a proposition that would have funded extra staff positions at the local police and fire departments.
60 percent of voters were against Proposition 1. The act would have increased property taxes by 30 cents for every $100 assessed to allow the city to hire more public safety officers.
The mayor says he will continue to monitor city funding to ensure that public safety remains effective, but says the city will need to offset sales tax shortfalls from rising internet shopping sales.
"If e-commerce continues to accelerate and if Columbia continues to rely on its current funding mechanism of public safety, the math indicates that we will have a smaller police department and fire department in the future,” said Mayor McDavid.
The mayor says the popularity of internet shopping has reduced sales tax revenues in Columbia per capita by as much as twenty percent.