Sparta to Set Date For Sales Tax Public Referendum

Sparta citizens will have the chance to vote on a referendum to increase the city sales tax in the coming weeks.

Mayor Jeff Young said the referendum will put the decision into the citizens’ hands.

“First thing in the morning, we will take a certified document saying that this board has approved it on second and final reading to the election office,” Young said. “The election office at that point in time will schedule a special called election. I think the county will have 40 days to opt-in if they decide to opt-in that date may change.”

Young said the sales tax from 2.25% to 2.75% could provide additional funding for the city’s road projects.

“It’s half a cent. That’s what it is. It’s the maximum the state will allow us to do. Every community that touches us, every single community around us is at 9.75 [percent]. That money will do two things,” Young said. “It will be earmarked for our city and we are going to fix it to where every future board behind us because we know somebody is going to be behind us. That is going to be used for roads and sidewalk improvements.”

Young said many roads and sidewalks need repairs around Sparta.

“That’s the one complaint we get more than anything else is the condition of our streets in front of their homes and businesses and things,” Young said. “This is the only mechanism we have to generate money short of property taxes and we really don’t want to do property taxes.”

Young said Sparta set aside additional funding in the 2019-2020 budget for road repairs, but the sales tax could keep funding available in the future.