The concept of going green is something the City’s newly named Environmental Services Department (formerly the Solid Waste Dept.), has embracing for quite some time with its 24-hour, 7-day a week Recycling Center, E-waste events, Household Hazardous Waste Facility and newly constructed outdoor recycling exhibit.
And the strides made by Missouri University of Science and Technology with its highly acclaimed and award-winning solar houses and solar cars, hydrogen fueling station, wind turbine, and other green initiatives, have clearly demonstrated that the Rolla community is all about going green, and capitalizing on the benefits of green energy and a green economy.
In this same spirit of going green, the Rolla City Council recently approved a City Ordinance to “opt in” the Green Sales Tax Holiday enacted by the Missouri State Legislature in 2008 (Senate Bill 1181). By enacting this ordinance, the City of Rolla elects to allow the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday established by Sec. 144.526, RSMo. Supp. 2008, to apply to its local sales taxes so that there shall be exempted from all retail sales of any energy star certified appliance, up to $1,500 per appliance, during a seven-day period beginning at 12:01 a.m. on April 19, 2009, and ending at midnight on April 25, 2009.
In addition to reducing the consumer’s cost for the purchase of certain qualifying appliances and promoting retail sales activity, the show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday also increases awareness of an investment in energy efficient appliances that can reasonably be expected to reduce energy consumption across the state.
Some of the energy star certified appliances that will be exempt from both state and City sales tax during the week of April 19 through April 25 include: clothes washers and dryers, water heaters, trash compactors, dishwashers, conventional ovens, ranges, stoves, air conditioners, furnaces, refrigerators and freezers. An “Energy star certified” appliance is any appliance approved by both the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy.
There is clearly a statewide trend in Missouri with an emphasis on energy efficiency, and now the purchase of energy efficient appliances. Hopefully now that the City has “opted in” the Show Me Green Sales Tax Holiday, the opportunity to go green will be more of an incentive than ever.
In the mean time, I encourage you to continue recycling, using the Rolla Recycling Center located at 2141 Old St. James Road, and participating in the Electronic Waste events sponsored by the Environmental Services Department.
No comments:
Post a Comment