Could Branson residents pay for 76 CID’s double-dipping?

Absent cooperative agreements to the contrary, and if Alderman Glenn Schulz has his way, “Absolutely!” The “first dip” is when they pay the 1% CID tax while shopping in the CID for groceries, a hamburger, a fishing rod, or just about anything else. The “second dip” is through their city’s personal property and real estate taxes, when they pay for additional premium services the city provides to the CID, above and beyond those normally provided to other businesses and residents.

The purpose of a Community Improvement District (CID) in Missouri is to fund, promote and manage public improvements, services and economic development within a specific, geographically defined area. CIDs allow property owners and businesses to, among other things, impose a sales tax within the CID to supplement basic municipal services. That’s the 1% CID Tax.

The keywords here are “to supplement basic municipal services.” It seems pretty clear to the Ole Seagull that the purpose of the CID tax is to fund services beyond the basic municipal services that similar businesses and residents in Branson receive. Unfortunately, for Branson residents and taxpayers, it does not seem as clear to Alderman Schulz.

At the April 24, 2026, meeting, the Board was presented with a cooperative agreement, unanimously approved by the CID Board, for the city to provide services to the CID beyond the basic municipal services that similar businesses and residents in Branson receive, for its approval. Despite this, Alderman Schulz invested over two hours of Board time trying to convince the Board that the Branson taxpayers should, in addition to the 1% CID Tax paid for purchases at Walmart and other restaurants and businesses within the CID, also pay for additional city services requested by the CID and beyond the basic municipal services the city provides to other taxpayers and businesses under similar circumstances.

His primary example was the reconstruction and maintenance of what was formerly “State Highway 76” and is now “76 Country Boulevard.” When the city took the five-mile stretch over from the state, it was solely for the 76 CID improvement project to create a high-end tourist corridor. But for that, the state would still be maintaining State Highway 76 at no cost to the taxpayers of Branson, as it had since it was built. 

To an Ole Seagull, taking over the ownership of a former State Highway and its required upgrading and maintenance, and the CID’s new “76 Country Boulevard,” are clearly beyond the basic municipal services that similar businesses and residents in Branson receive, and are the exact type of expenditure that the CID Tax is meant to cover.

“Seagull, do you think that's the end of it?" "Surely that's a rhetorical question!”