All serve four-year terms. Although the commission administers most county business, its legislative authority comes from the Missouri General Assembly. The Boone County Government Center at Eighth and Ash streets includes the offices of the county commission, clerk, treasurer, assessor, collector, and recorder of deeds. A recent space-needs study has commissioners considering a bond issue that would pay for an expansion of the center and the Boone County Courthouse. Brian W. Kratzer photo County residents in April 1996 rejected a proposed county constitution that would have given county government the authority to restructure and pass its own local laws and ordinances without specific authority of the state legislature.
Sales tax is the county s largest source of revenue.
It also collects real and personal property taxes and other fees, plus state and federal money. It profits from the lease of publicly owned Boone Hospital Center to a private firm. The lease expires in 2003. Boone County became a First Class county on Jan. 1, 1991. The county auditor became the chief budget officer and is responsible for reviewing budget requests, holding public hearings on them and submitting an annual budget for the county commission s approval.