Ottumwa’s City Council will see a new council member seated after Tuesday’s Special Election and voters also decided to continue a tax that city officials say is crucial to retain services.
In the City Council race, Dan Reid earned 616 votes to win the city council seat. Reid defeated current city council member Cyan Bossou who had 509 votes. This will be the first time Reid will sit on the city council.
The voters have also spoken on the Local Option Sales and Services Tax (LOSST) and by a margin of 776 to 343, voters have decided to continue the tax. According to city officials, the LOSST is a one-cent sales tax approved by a vote of the citizens of Ottumwa. The tax is applied to goods and services that the State of Iowa has designated as taxable.
The LOSST was enacted in 2016 and was set to expire in 2025. With Tuesday’s vote to continue the tax, the LOSST has been renewed for ten years.
City officials estimate the LOSST will provide the city with $4.5 million in revenue in 2025 which goes into the general fund. Officials say the general fund is responsible for many of the city’s services, including the police department, fire department, and library.
According to the Wapello County Auditor’s Office, there are 20,085 registered voters in Ottumwa and 1,447 ballots were cast. The voter turnout was 7.2 percent.
