Pettis County voters overwhelmingly rejected a proposed tax levy increase Tuesday, Aug. 5, 2025 for their fire protection district.

According to unofficial results from the Pettis County Clerk’s Office, 72 percent of district voters (663-255) cast ballots against a proposed increase in the district’s levy that would have seen the ceiling increase for the first time in 30 years, from 27 cents per $100 of assessed valuation to 48 cents. A total of 918 ballots were cast on the issue, or about 8.75% of the district’s eligible voters, with the Pettis County Clerk’s office in Sedalia the only location available for voters to cast their ballot.

Knob Noster R-VIII School District patrons narrowly approved a tax levy increase, with 411 in support to 397 opposed. The increased ceiling to $3.80 will fund additional features for the new high school campus under construction in the northwest part of the city. Nine residents from Pettis County weighed in on the proposal, with five supporting and four opposed. Oak Grove R-VI patrons also showed support for their proposed tax levy increase, with 528 in favor to 243 opposed. Their tax rate will increase to just over $3.60.

In Lafayette County, the City of Concordia received narrow approval for their measure authorizing the collection of local use tax at the same rate as the city’s sales tax, with the measure passing 47-44. Residents in the surrounding special road district voted 109 to 20 in favor of maintaining their 33-cent tax levy for the next four years. In Randolph County, 86 percent of voters (111-18) in the Higbee Area Fire District approved their $1.62 million bond measure.

Voters in Macon County rejected a proposed consolidation of the Bevier and Callao school districts. While the initiative passed in Bevier with 55 percent of support (155-127), the proposal fell by a three-to-one margin in Callao (58-174). In Linn County, residents in the Meadville R-IV School District turned out to resoundingly approve their proposed $1.2 million bond measure a second time. The vote Tuesday was 109 in support to five opposed, and came four months after voters showed strong support for the first measure.