Uncertainty about future of wind farms raises revenue concerns >>>

A public safety tax may sound familiar to a lot of people. Now, the Ford County Board is considering a referenda question for a quarter-cent sales tax hike to support public safety.

The matter is likely to be addressed at the Ford County Board meeting Monday night.

The Finance committee has voted to place the question on the November ballot, asking voters if they approve of the quarter-cent sales tax increase to support public safety.
The Ford County Record reports it would be an advisory question only – at this point. The Board would then consider the tax depending on what voters say.

The board’s finance committee voted 4-0 Thursday to advance the proposal to the full County Board.

Committee Chairman Chase McCall of Gibson City tells the Record the quarter-cent sales tax would generate at least $220,000 per year in new revenue.

New monies would be used to cover public safety expenses. The tax would increase Ford County’s sales tax from 6 and a-quarter to 6.5%.

The tax hike would be imposed on all people spending in the county, not just the people in Ford County.

The Record further reports The idea of raising the sales tax has been discussed as a way to bring in revenue to cash-strapped Ford County, McCall said. One factor that has prompted the county board to reconsider the idea now, McCall said, is the growing uncertainty of more wind farms coming to the county.

The county board’s zoning committee recently recommended increasing setbacks for wind turbines, which, if approved by the full board, would restrict the number of turbines built in the county and could even cause some developers to build elsewhere.

94.1 WGFA