Sparta to Begin Paving Project

The City of Sparta will soon begin repaving just over 5 miles of city streets.

Mayor Jeff Young said he is excited about how much revenue was generated from a sales tax increase that is funding the $480,000 dollar project.

“For many years, we’ve only had $100,000 dollars in our budget for paving,” Young said. “That doesn’t do anything. With this half-cent increase in sales tax, with every visitor that comes into Sparta, it helps us generate sales tax money, and that money will be used for nothing else but roads and sidewalks.”

Sparta voters passed a referendum increasing the sales tax rate for 2.25 percent to 2.75 percent in September 2019. Young said the extra income helps the city make significant progress with road problems.

“When we can go from a hundred thousand dollars worth of paving one year, which is basically one intersection, to doing 5.1 miles, that is a tremendous increase in the amount of  paving we’re going to do,” Young said.

The city voted Thursday night to accept a construction bid from the Rogers Group. Young said most of the work should be done by the end of June.