By Michelle “Mickey” Croyle, M.S., Physiology and Biophysics & Health Physicist

In the early 1980's, Missouri faced significant soil erosion, and the Missouri Park System faced tremendous federal budget cuts. The reduced budget impacted building and equipment maintenance, resulting in disrepair in Missouri State Parks. Representative Jerry Burch introduced a House bill in 1982 to allocate half of the 1/8-cent conservation tax to address soil erosion problems.  In the summer of 1983, a Citizens Committee for Soil, Water and State Parks was established. This group raised funds and gathered support for the sales tax that was placed on the August 1984 ballot as the Soils and Parks tax — Constitutional Amendment No. 2. Marlin Perkins, host of the then-popular Mutual of Omaha's Wild Kingdom television program, served as the honorary chairman of the committee and produced two public service announcements. The Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax was approved by Missouri voters in 1984 as a constitutional amendment, Article IV, Section 47(a), which created the tax.  This tax was for the state park system, and efforts to stop soil erosion have since been reapproved by voters four times in 1988, 1996, 2006, and 2016. It is the primary source of funding for the state park system, which provides about three-fourths of the division's budget for operation and development of state parks. All additional funding for Missouri State Parks comes from revenues generated in the state park system and some federal funds. The tax also funds crucial programs to prevent soil erosion and protect water quality.

Amendment 1 is an automatic ballot referral that must appear on the ballot at certain intervals or under certain circumstances. Missouri's overall state sales tax is 4.2255%, which generates a 3% tax dedicated to general revenue, an additional 1% tax for education, a0.125% tax for conservation, and a 0.1% tax for parks, soil, and water.

The 0.1% tax revenue collected directly funds:

• Missouri State Parks & Historic Sites: Operations, development, and maintenance of the state park system, allowing free public entry to all parks.
• The tax has preserved free access to one of the nation's top-ranked park systems.  Last year, there were about 20 million visitors to the Missouri State Parks and Historic Sites.
• Sales tax revenue makes up about 3/4 of the park system budget.
• Soil and Water Conservation: Crucial programs that prevent topsoil erosion, protect water quality, and help agricultural landowners manage resources sustainably. 
• Reversed severe soil erosion across Missouri farmland and generated massive economic returns for communities statewide. 
• The tax supports and benefits rotational grazing systems, erosion-control structures, and nutrient-management plans that prevent fertilizer and pesticides from leaching into streams and rivers.
• The tax is supported by the Park Board, Conservation Federation of Missouri, and the Missouri Farm Bureau.

Why is the funding for both Soil and Water Conservation and Missouri State Parks & Historic Sites by a single tax?

Both soil conservation and state park operations face similar challenges.

• They both serve the entire population of the state of Missouri.
• They each encourage greater use of their respective natural resources.
• They are both required to protect those same resources from overuse, damage, or potential depletion.

Dividing the tax between the two efforts made sense in 1984 and still does today in 2026. The one-tenth-of-one-percent sales tax has enjoyed broad, bipartisan backing across the state, with renewals extending funding for another decade by wide margins. At least two-thirds of voters approved the tax the last four times.  

For voters and taxpayers looking to learn more about how these funds are distributed or verified, exact details can be tracked through the ⁠Missouri Department of Natural Resources, https://mostateparks.com/basic-page/parks-soils-and-water-sales-tax, and https://dnr.mo.gov/land-geology/soil-water-conservation. 

News: August 4 2026 Primary Election

The League of Women Voters of Missouri (LWV MO) at the June 6, 2026 Board Meeting voted to support the renewal of the Parks, Soils and Water Sales Tax for the August 2026 election (Amendment 1). The League's support was based on a detailed study and our Natural Resource positions, including: 

• Land-use planning that reflects conservation and wise management of resources.
• Identification and regulation of areas of critical concern:
• Fragile or historical lands, where development could result in irreversible damage (such as shorelands of rivers, lakes, streams, estuaries and bays; ecosystems and geological formations; significant wildlife habitats; unique scenic or historic areas; wetlands; deserts).
• Water resource programs and policies that reflect the interrelationships of water quality, water quantity, groundwater, and surface water that address the potential depletion or pollution of water supplies. 
• The Agricultural position that supports farming conservation practices on land and conserves water and protects land erosion
• LWVUS Climate Change position.

The work supported by this tax measure conserves Missouri's land and water resources, protects water quality, and reduces soil erosion in our watersheds.

Protects access to parks and Historic sites for residents. This can facilitate mental health and reduce stress.

League members are encouraged to work to educate Voters, advocate for Amendment 1, and Get Out the Vote on August 4!  Thanks for helping to get out the Vote for the August Primary Elections!  Questions? Please email Mickey Croyle at mickeycroyle [at] gmail.com ().

Supporters of Amendment 1 include the Conservation Federation of Missouri, the Missouri Park Board, theSierra Club, theMissouri Coalition for the Environment, theMissouri Farm Bureau, and the League of Women Voters of Missouri.

• The revenue it has generated has resulted in extraordinary benefits to both water and soil conservation, with improvement in water quality and a decrease in erosion.
• The tax supports for Missouri Parks and Historical Sites

 At present, there is no organized opposition to the measure.

Opposition in previous years included:

• Opposition to taxes in general, including constitutional amendments, should not be used for this tax, and there is concern that this tax will hurt low-income individuals, including older adults and those impacted by extreme weather.
• -During the 2016 renewal campaign, some former lawmakers expressed concerns regarding how the revenue is allocated. Critics pointed out that a disproportionate amount of soil conservation funding traditionally went to rural areas, leaving fewer qualified projects to address erosion and runoff issues in urban and forested regions.