Knox Co. Commissioners Push For Continuation Of Half Cent Sales Tax

Knox Co. Commissioners Push For Continuation Of Half Cent Sales Tax

By Echo Menges

Proposition 1 on the April 3, 2012 Knox County Municipal
Election Ballot is to continue a half cent sales tax within the county for the
next four years. According to Knox County Presiding Commissioner, Evan Glasgow,
Prop 1 is not an added tax for county taxpayers, rather it’s an extension of an
already existing tax.

The half-cent sales tax brought approximately $145,490.00
into the county’s General Revenue Fund in 2011.

“The General Revenue Fund is kind of a catch all. It’s the
county’s most spread out fund and supports everything from courthouse
maintenance to every county office.” Said Presiding Commissioner Glasgow.
“We’re running a pretty tight budget as it is. This sales tax is imperative for
the local county government to operate effectively.”

According to Glasgow, should Prop 1 fail on Election Day the
county would be forced to make up the loss in revenue and could end up
increasing other county taxes.

“Nobody wants to raise taxes so we hope voters understand
the importance of continuing the already existing sales tax by heading to the
polls and supporting Proposition 1 on the April Ballot,” said Glasgow. “The
biggest point that I want to get across to everybody is that it’s not a tax
increase, it’s a continuance of a current county tax.”