Joplin Leaders Urge Voters to Support 'No-Tax-Increase' Proposition Police & Fire on April 7 Ballot

JOPLIN, Mo. — With just one week until the April 7 municipal election, Joplin City Manager Nick Edwards and Citizen Committee Co-Chairperson Dottie Murphy appeared on the KZRG Morning Newswatch to make the case for Proposition Police & Fire, a ballot measure they say will strengthen the city’s police and fire departments without raising taxes.

The proposition seeks to replace the existing half-cent “Prop B” sales tax — originally approved by voters to fund police and fire pensions — with a dedicated half-cent public safety sales tax. Once the current pension obligations are fully met in 2027, the same tax rate would shift to support broader public safety needs, including competitive pay, hiring additional personnel, equipment upgrades, and facility improvements.

Edwards provided a broad overview, emphasizing the importance of the issue for Joplin’s future.

“The election on April 7th is really important. It’s important for the future of our community,” Edwards said. “We have a police and fire department that are in need of a tremendous amount of resources so that we can have a great future, a thriving future … We’re changing taxes, but the rate doesn’t change, so it is a no tax increase.”

He outlined key benefits if the measure passes: hiring more police officers and firefighters, improving competitiveness on pay to retain and attract talent, better equipping the departments, and investing in facilities. Edwards noted that the shift would allow for “tangible improvements,” such as addressing neighborhood safety issues through increased staffing capacity.

Host confirmation clarified that the proposal does not alter what residents pay at the register. The revenue would simply be redirected from pensions (once fully funded) toward operational needs like staffing, pay, equipment, and infrastructure.

Murphy, who serves as co-chair of the volunteer Citizen Committee supporting the proposition, described the group as a collection of Joplin residents providing input and advocacy. She stressed that committee members are not city employees.

As a longtime community volunteer — including on the citizen advisory committee with the police chief — and the mother of a Joplin Police Department sergeant, Murphy spoke personally about the stakes.

“Public safety is a huge issue in my opinion,” she said. “We’re losing our police officers, our firefighters, our dispatchers for various reasons, some of which are the pay, competitive pay. They can get paid better 100 miles down the road… Also, staffing. They’re very short staffed… We are finding that if we don’t correct those things, we’re going to continue to lose our officers.”

Murphy argued that experienced, well-trained personnel are leaving for better compensation and work-life balance elsewhere, and that the proposition would help reverse that trend. She expressed confidence that it would strengthen community safety.

Edwards detailed safeguards on spending. The tax is a state-authorized public safety sales tax restricted to police, fire, and dispatch services. Additionally, agreements with the Fraternal Order of Police (FOP) and International Association of Fire Fighters (IAFF) further outline how funds will support pay and improvements. He pointed listeners to the city’s dedicated website — joplinmo.org/proppolicefire — for transparent details on implementation.

When asked whether funds could be diverted for unrelated projects, such as building a pool, Edwards replied firmly in the negative, highlighting accountability through the citizen committee, city council, and collective bargaining processes.

Both guests underscored the broader context–Joplin is a growing community with rising call volumes, and strong public safety is foundational to continued progress and quality of life.

“We’ve done so many great things,” Edwards said. “For us to be able to continue improvements and continue growth… we have to get public safety right. And I believe that the proposal on April 7, which is a no tax increase issue, will do just that.”

“I think it’s critical that the citizens of Joplin come together and recognize the strength and the professionalism that we currently have with our public safety,” Murphy added. “And we need to do everything we can not to lose it… We can keep our professionals in Joplin if we just vote yes on April 7th.”

Absentee voting is already underway for the April 7 election. For more information on Proposition Police & Fire, including how the funds would be allocated, residents are encouraged to visit the city’s official page at joplinmo.org.