West Point voters reject sales tax for economic development

On the same day that West Point’s City Council awarded $50,000 in LB840 funds to help a new business get started, West Point voters rejected the continuation of a local sales tax that would have kept in place an economic development tool the city has used for 14 years. Although the ballot language was required to say voters were deciding if an “additional tax” should be collected, the vote was actually to determine the fate of an existing sales tax. As was noted in the Sept. 25 issue of the Cuming County News, passage of the ballot issue would have allowed the city to continue to collect its existing half-cent sales tax. Revenue generated by that tax would have continued to be split 50-50, half to economic development efforts and half for capital improvements, including park and recreation facility improvements. After the votes were counted last Tuesday, the result was “no” to extending the tax but “yes” to continuing the economic development program.

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