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Taney County, Missouri

Coordinates: 36°39′N 93°02′W / 36.65°N 93.04°W / 36.65; -93.04
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Taney County
County
Official seal of Taney County
Seal
Map of Missouri highlighting Taney County
Location within the U.S. state of Missouri
Map of the United States highlighting Missouri
Missouri's location within the U.S.
Coordinates: 36°39′N 93°02′W / 36.65°N 93.04°W / 36.65; -93.04
Country United States
State Missouri
FoundedJanuary 4, 1837
Named forRoger B. Taney, Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court
SeatForsyth
Largest cityBranson
Area
 • Total
651 sq mi (1,687 km2)
 • Land632 sq mi (1,638 km2)
 • Water19 sq mi (50 km2)  2.93%
Population
 • Estimate 
(2008)
47,023
 • Density31/sq mi (12/km2)
Time zoneUTC−6 (Central)
 • Summer (DST)UTC−5 (CDT)
Websitewww.co.taney.mo.us

Taney County is a county located in Southwest Missouri in the United States. As of the 2000 U.S. Census, the county's population was 39,703. A 2008 estimate, however, showed the population to be 47,023. Its county seat is Forsyth.Template:GR The county was officially organized on January 4, 1837, and was named in honor of Roger Brooke Taney, the fifth Chief Justice of the U.S. Supreme Court, most notable for his decision in Dred Scott declaring that African Americans were not citizens of the United States (which was made after the county's incorporation).

The county includes the popular tourist destination city of Branson and is part of the Branson Micropolitan Statistical Area. With a wide range of live music shows, restaurants and shopping locations, Taney County is also the home of Table Rock, Taneycomo and Bull Shoals Lakes.

History

The first Taney County Courthouse was built by the early pioneers in 1837 and destroyed on July 22, 1861, during a Civil War Battle. The second Courthouse was destroyed by fire on December 19, 1885. The third Courthouse was removed in 1952 to permit the building of Bull Shoals Lake. The fourth, and present, Courthouse was occupied on August 1, 1952. In 1989, an addition was started and completed in 1991.

Geography

According to the U.S. Census Bureau, the county has a total area of 1,687 km² (651 mi²). 1,638 km² (632 mi²) of it is land and 50 km² (19 mi²) of it (2.93%) is water.

Adjacent counties

Major highways

National protected area

Demographics

As of the censusTemplate:GR of 2000, there were 39,703 people, 16,158 households, and 11,052 families residing in the county. The population density was 24/km² (63/mi²). There were 19,688 housing units at an average density of 12/km² (31/mi²). The racial makeup of the county was 96.22% White, 0.35% Black or African American, 0.87% Native American, 0.34% Asian, 0.05% Pacific Islander, 0.74% from other races, and 1.42% from two or more races. Approximately 2.42% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race. Among the major first ancestries reported in Taney County were 20.8% German, 18.9% American, 12.4% Irish, and 12.3% English, according to Census 2000.

There were 16,158 households out of which 27.80% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 56.60% were married couples living together, 8.60% had a female householder with no husband present, and 31.60% were non-families. 25.70% of all households were made up of individuals and 10.00% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.37 and the average family size was 2.83.

In the county the population was spread out with 22.40% under the age of 18, 10.20% from 18 to 24, 26.20% from 25 to 44, 25.00% from 45 to 64, and 16.20% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 39 years. For every 100 females there were 94.00 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 90.40 males.

The median income for a household in the county was $39,771, and the median income for a family was $47,664. Males had a median income of $25,431 versus $19,655 for females. The per capita income for the county was $21,663. About 9.40% of families and 12.40% of the population were below the poverty line, including 17.60% of those under age 18 and 8.80% of those age 65 or over.

Cities and towns

†Denotes a municipality whose physical boundaries extend beyond Taney County

Education

Of adults 25 years of age and older in Taney County, 81.4% possesses a high school diploma or higher while 14.9% holds a bachelor's degree or higher as their highest educational attainment.

Public Schools

Private Schools

Alternative & Vocational Schools

  • Delmina Woods Youth Facility - Forsyth - (06-12) - Alternative/Other School

Religion

According to the Association of Religion Data Archives County Membership Report (2000), Taney County is a part of the Bible Belt with evangelical Protestantism being the majority religion. The most predominant denominations among residents in Taney County who adhere to a religion are Southern Baptists (32.88%), Roman Catholics (12.36%), and Presbyterians (9.13%).

Politics

Local

Politics at the local level in Taney County is completely controlled by the Republican Party. All of Taney County’s elected officeholders are Republicans.

Office Incumbent Party
Assessor James Strahan Republican
Auditor Rick C. Findley Republican
Circuit Clerk Brenda Kay Neal Republican
Clerk Donna Neeley Republican
Collector Sheila L. Wyatt Republican
Commissioner – Eastern District Danny Strahan Republican
Commissioner – Western District Jim Strafuss Republican
Coroner Kevin W. Tweedy Republican
Presiding Commissioner Chuck Pennel Republican
Prosecuting Attorney Jeff Merrell Republican
Public Administrator Carol Davis Republican
Recorder Robert A. Dixon Republican
Sheriff Jimmie Russell Republican
Treasurer Helen Soutee Republican

State

Past Gubernatorial Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 51.16% 10,903 46.31% 9,870 2.53% 540
2004 68.88% 13,207 29.91% 5,734 1.21% 233
2000 60.03% 9,003 37.30% 5,594 2.67% 400
1996 58.07% 7,516 38.89% 5,034 3.04% 394

Taney County is divided into three legislative districts in the Missouri House of Representatives, all held by Republicans.

  • District 62 – Currently represented by Dennis F. Wood (R-Kimberling City) and consists of the southwestern parts of the county and includes Branson, Hollister, and Table Rock. Wood is term limited and is finishing out his last term. He will be succeeded by fellow Republican Donald E. Phillips in the next legislative session in January 2011.
Missouri House of Representatives - District 62 - Taney County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Donald E. Phillips 5,051 100.00 +29.69
  • District 142 – Currently represented by Raymond Weter (R-Nixa) and consists of the northeastern parts of the county and includes Bull Creek and Taneyville.
Missouri House of Representatives - District 142 - Taney County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Raymond Weter* 1,466 85.88 −14.12
Libertarian Bradley W. Stubbs 241 14.12 +14.12
  • District 143 – Currently represented by Maynard Wallace (R-Thornfield) and consists of the southeastern parts of the county and includes Forsyth, Merriam Woods, and Rockaway Beach. Wallace is term limited and is finishing out his last term. He will be succeeded by fellow Republican Lyle Rowland in the next legislative session in January 2011.
Missouri House of Representatives - District 143 - Taney County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Lyle Rowland 5,353 74.14 +8.27
Independent Michael Chipman 1,867 25.86 +25.86

In the Missouri Senate, all of Taney County is a part of Missouri's 29th District and is currently represented by State Senator Jack Goodman (R-Mt. Vernon). In 2008, Goodman ran unopposed and was reelected with 100 percent of the vote. The 29th Senatorial District consists of Barry, Lawrence, McDonald, Ozark, Stone, and Taney counties.

Missouri Senate - District 29 - Taney County (2008)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jack Goodman 17,564 100.00

Federal

In the U.S. House of Representatives, most of Taney County is represented by Jo Ann Emerson (R-Cape Girardeau) who represents most of the central and eastern portions of the county as part of Missouri's 8th Congressional District. The city of Branson and the western portions of the county are included in Missouri's 7th Congressional District and is currently represented by Roy Blunt (R-Strafford).

U.S. House of Representatives - District 8 - Taney County (2010)
Party Candidate Votes % ±%
Republican Jo Ann Emerson 2,588 65.85 −0.97
Democratic Tommy Sowers 1,049 26.69 −2.77
Independent Larry Bill 154 3.92 +3.92
Libertarian Rick Vandeven 139 3.54 +0.91

Political Culture

Past Presidential Elections Results
Year Republican Democratic Third Parties
2008 68.02% 14,736 30.85% 6,683 1.13% 245
2004 70.43% 13,578 29.05% 5,601 0.52% 101
2000 63.84% 9,647 33.70% 5,092 2.46% 373
1996 52.01% 6,844 35.13% 4,623 12.86% 1,693

Like most counties situated in Southwest Missouri, Taney County is a Republican stronghold in presidential elections. George W. Bush carried Taney County in 2000 and 2004 by more than two-to-one margins, and like many other rural counties throughout Missouri, Taney County strongly favored John McCain over Barack Obama in 2008. No Democratic presidential nominee has won Taney County in over 50 years.

Like most rural areas throughout the Bible Belt in Southwest Missouri, voters in Taney County traditionally adhere to socially and culturally conservative principles which tend to strongly influence their Republican leanings. In 2004, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to define marriage as the union between a man and a woman—it overwhelmingly passed Taney County with 80.04 percent of the vote. The initiative passed the state with 71 percent of support from voters as Missouri became the first state to ban same-sex marriage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a constitutional amendment to fund and legalize embryonic stem cell research in the state—it failed in Taney County with 56.64 percent voting against the measure. The initiative narrowly passed the state with 51 percent of support from voters as Missouri became one of the first states in the nation to approve embryonic stem cell research. Despite Taney County’s longstanding tradition of supporting socially conservative platforms, voters in the county have a penchant for advancing populist causes like increasing the minimum wage. In 2006, Missourians voted on a proposition (Proposition B) to increase the minimum wage in the state to $6.50 an hour—it passed Taney County with 77.78 percent of the vote. The proposition strongly passed every single county in Missouri with 78.99 percent voting in favor as the minimum wage was increased to $6.50 an hour in the state. During the same election, voters in five other states also strongly approved increases in the minimum wage.

Missouri Presidential Preference Primary (2008)

In the 2008 Missouri Presidential Preference Primary, voters in Taney County from both political parties supported candidates who finished in second place in the state at large and nationally.

  • Former Governor Mike Huckabee (R-Arkansas) received more votes, a total of 3,850, than any candidate from either party in Taney County during the 2008 Missouri Presidential Preference Primary.

Template:Missouri Republican primary, 2008 Template:Missouri Democratic primary, 2008

Jail controversy

In 2009, Taney County officials voted to begin charging inmates $45 a day to stay at the jail. One critic referred to the charge as a "poor person's tax." [1]

References

  1. ^ http://www.csmonitor.com/2009/0515/p25s10-usgn.htm
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36°39′N 93°02′W / 36.65°N 93.04°W / 36.65; -93.04

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