On a split 3-2 vote, the Centralia City Council has agreed to place a half-cent sales tax on the April election ballot. The proposal that would raise an estimated $400,000 a year to pay for fire and police equipment failed in the November election ballot.
Councilman Howard Jones and Andre Marshall voted no, forcing Mayor Herb Williams to cast the deciding yes vote.
Councilman David Sauer wants the wording changed to assure voters where the money will be used.
“It would sure be nice if the ballot measure could say for the purposes of police and fire equipment because that will be what our resolution is. I think it should be on the ballot because the ballot doesn’t show that.”
Councilman Spanky Smith called the language change imperative and could help sway a lot of those on the fence.
The City Attorney agreed to look at the language change, but isn’t sure it is possible.
City Manager Lowell Crow feels the tax increase can be successful this time with better education of the voters.
The council unanimously decided to keep its property tax levy flat for the coming year. This is the tenth year in a row without an increase. Crow had wanted to start increasing the levy to help pay for the cost of unfunded pensions, but the council rejected the idea at an earlier work session.
