Missouri Voters to Decide Parks and Water Tax Renewal

Missouri voters will decide the fate of the Parks, Soil, and Water Tax during the August primary election. Listed as Amendment 1, the 40-year-old measure implements a one-tenth of a percent sales tax that provides free entry to 93 state parks and funds conservation programs. Under the terms of the original 1984 constitutional amendment, the tax must be reconsidered by voters every ten years.

Citizens for State Parks, Soil, and Water, a nonpartisan coalition including the Sierra Club and the Missouri Farm Bureau, is campaigning for the tax's renewal. The measure generated $69.9 million in 2025, covering approximately 75 percent of the Missouri Parks Department's budget. Missouri is currently one of only eight states offering free park entry.

Advocates express concern that Amendment 1 may be overshadowed by Amendment 5, a high-priority proposal from Governor Mike Kehoe to replace the personal income tax with expanded sales taxes. Campaign manager Jonathan Ratliff noted that the potential spending on the Amendment 5 campaign could reach $30 million or more, creating a significant amount of political noise.