ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, N.C. -- Rockingham County voters have the choice to decide whether they will pay more in taxes this election.
A quarter-cent sales tax increase is on the ballot. If passed, the tax rate will increase from 6.75-percent to 7-percent.
To make this simple, if you spend $100, you'll spend an extra quarter on sales-tax. If you spend $25, you'll pay an extra 6-cents in taxes. Just spending a couple bucks? You won't notice the difference.
County Commissioner Mark Richardson says this issue is on the ballot because of MillerCoors.
People in Rockingham County know well that when the beer company closed its doors in September, it didn't just take hundreds of jobs.
The county lost nearly $1.3 million and this fiscal year, the deficit was covered with money from a different fund. But Richardson says that's not sustainable for the county.
"Because of the loss of Miller, the loss of other tax base, this sales tax is extremely important to us," said Commissioner Richardson.
If the sales tax increase passed, the county would generate an estimated $1.6 million dollars. That's enough to cover the loss in taxes from MillerCoors leaving town.
County leaders warn, if this doesn't pass, they'll have to find another way to make up for the loss. Options might include cutting the budget even further or increasing property taxes.