Bland aldermen came to a consensus on March 15 that they would not pay to have the police sales tax placed on a ballot in November at the city’s expense, opting to wait until April 2022 to run …
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Bland aldermen came to a consensus on March 15 that they would not pay to have the police sales tax placed on a ballot in November at the city’s expense, opting to wait until April 2022 to run congruent with the city’s park tax renewal.
The conversation was brought up by Alderman Diana Mayfield.
“I talked to Lesa (Lietzow, county clerk) since (the item on the ballot in April) is the wrong verbiage and she pointed out that we could do it in August or November, but there are no other elections for anything, so the city would have to pay for the whole kitten caboodle. Otherwise, she said just wait until next April when you have the mayor and Jane’s (Vandegriffe) up for election.”
Mayfield said she was told to bring it up to the board as a whole because they would all need to decide.
“I don’t want to upset people by putting it on the ballot again and being charged for it,” Mayfield said.
Aldermen are asking the voters to pass a half-cent sales tax to support the Bland Police Department. However, Proposition A on the April 6 ballot has incorrect verbiage asking voters to pass a use tax that would only pull funds from internet sales.
“Propositions are not paid for to have on the ballot during a regular election,” Mayfield said.
Alderman Mark Farran, who is also up for election on April 6 said he didn’t see the need to pay to have it on the August or November 2021 ballots, it could run with the parks tax renewal.
The park tax is a half-cent sales tax that passed in 2013, implemented in 2014 and requires voter approval to continue, according to City Clerk Carrie Krupp.
“The park tax is a half-cent sales tax and is called park/stormwater tax,” Krupp explained. “It is for the park’s drainage ditches, rock purchase, can be used for water improvement projects and park upkeep.”
Aldermen did want to remind citizens to vote no on Proposition A Police Use Tax on the April 6 ballot, as the verbiage is not correct. Mayfield said the board would pay more attention to the verbiage in the future and approve it prior to being sent to the county courthouse to be placed on the ballot.
