City & Local

Fire Services

2 articles

Columbia, Missouri voters narrowly approve a 1% sales tax increase dedicated to funding police and fire department services.
Services

Columbia voters approve 1% sales tax for police and fire services

By a razor-thin margin of just 85 votes, Columbia residents approved a new 1% sales tax, committing an estimated $38 million annually to police and fire services for the next decade.

Marco Alvarez·August 5, 2026
A rural emergency services station with an ambulance and fire engine, symbolizing the financial strain on essential services due to rising costs.
Services

Rural emergency services struggle with rising fuel and vehicle costs

A single new fire engine can now cost more than a million dollars, a price tag crippling rural emergency services already struggling to keep ambulances fueled and staffed.

Marco Alvarez·May 8, 2026