Efforts at the state level to reduce or eliminate certain taxes are prompting concern about the loss of local control and funding for county services in Ray County. Those concerns were raised during a recent Ray County Commission meeting, as Ideal Industries Executive Director Heather Pugh discussed proposed legislative changes and growing concern among county-funded boards while lawmakers consider dozens of tax-related bills during the current legislative session. Pugh told commissioners her purpose in appearing before them was to educate, noting conversations about taxes began several years ago and have intensified during the current legislative session. She noted Ideal Industries and the SB 40 board work closely together and that earlier legislative conversations focused on the alleviation of taxes of some sort. Senate Bill 40, passed by the Missouri Legislature in 1969, allows counties to establish developmental disability boards funded through a voter-approved local property…