City Council approves public vote on sales tax

Milton City Council passed a resolution to support a special election to give voters an opportuinity to vote to approve or deny a half-cent sales tax for the county last week at the City Council meeting. City Councilwomen Heather Hathaway and Shannon Rice voted against the resoltution. [CONTRIBUTED PHOTO]

MILTON — Milton City Council voted 6-2 on a resolution to support holding a vote for the proposed half cent tax sales tax with Councilwomen Shannon Rice and Heather Hathaway casting the nay votes.

The resolution stated that they council "supports continued efforts to hold an additional one-half cent sales tax referendum for voter approval."

City Manager Randy Jorgenson clarified that the resolution was only supporting the voters to participate in the voting process, but was not taking a stance on the tax itself. 

"You are not expressing an opinion in support or opposition to that local option sales tax," Jorgensan said. "The expression should be made by the electorate."

Councilman Casey Powell said he appreciated the clarification and was in full support of letting the voters have the final say.

"I wouldn't want to assume to know the outcome ahead of time," Powell said.

Rice said she was not in support of the resolution because of the change to voting requirements in special election coming up in 2020.

"Voter requirements to pass local option sales tax changes in 2020 and would require a higher number of voter support to pass," Rice said.

Rice said if people are opposed to the local options tax she encourages them to come out and make it known.

Mayor Heather Lindsay said information regarding the special election on the local sales tax will be mailed out following city attorney review and City Council approval.

This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: City Council approves public vote on sales tax