Berryville voters on Tuesday approved the extension of a 0.5 percent sales tax until 2030 and the issuance of up to $6.5 million in bonds to pay for improvements, primarily for streets.
According to Sherry Cochrane, the Carroll County elections coordinator, the unofficial results on the vote to extend the temporary tax and allow bonds to be issued to pay for city projects, was:
For 62
Against 18
The ballot also included five bond issues: a maximum of $4.4 million for street improvements, $1.2 million for parks and recreation, $550,000 for sewer improvements, $225,000 for the Police Department and $125,000 for the Fire Department.
Each of those bond issues passed by a similar margin as the vote to extend the tax, which was listed on the ballot as Ordinance No. 1009. It amends a previous ordinance that required the tax to expire in 2020.
Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney said the temporary tax brings in between $600,000 and $650,000 a year. He said the 10-year tax extension will allow the city to issue about $6 million in bonds and pay them off during that time period.
"The price of roads and everything is going up," said McKinney. "We're going to be better off now to go ahead and get the projects done and pay it off in 10 years."
Jay Lee, McKinney's administrative assistant, said the temporary tax has been in place since 2011 and was extended in 2013 and 2015.
Until Tuesday's vote, the tax provided money to pay for improvements on an as-you-go basis, said Lee.
Of the city's 2,394 voters, only 3.38 percent voted in the special election.
Metro on 07/13/2017