After learning from Platte County Treasurer Bonnie Brown that she needed to make a written request regarding the local use tax from the Missouri Department of Revenue, County Auditor Sandra Thomas has made a formal request to the department.

Thomas made her request known to the county commission last Thursday, and then made her written request of the information to the state on Friday.

Because of a fluctuation in local use tax in 2004, Thomas found the need to acquire the detailed information to pinpoint the reason for the four month fluctuation.

“There are four months where the numbers were a great deal higher than the other months, and if we can get an explanation for those months, then it’ll be easier to determine if the trend will continue or not,” Thomas told The Landmark in the Feb. 3 issue.

Thomas said the information from the state is necessary, because otherwise it would be difficult to determine the estimated local use tax figures for 2005.

“Obviously there’s something going on because the first two months of this year has been down considerably. So, obviously there’s something—we just need to find out what it is,” stated Thomas.

Thomas is expecting to have the information back from the Missouri Department of Revenue in a few weeks.

In other action at the county commission meeting, the commission approved a contract for engineering advisory services with Bucher, Willis and Ratliff.

Commissioners also approved an agreement for services for UPS Service and battery maintenance with Systech.