GUILFORD COUNTY, N.C. — Guilford County asked voters, once again, to vote on a quarter-cent sales tax increase.
A whopping 60% of ballots cast were against the increase, with only 40% voting in favor. This particular referendum has failed multiple times in the last several years.
So what would the money have gone towards? The increase would have raised sales taxes from 6.75% to 7%. The extra money was earmarked for raising teacher pay, more funding for school buses, and other school staff. The proposal first appeared on a ballot in 2008, and supporters say they’re pleased it’s gained support over the years.
“I’m disappointed but not surprised. It was so much on that ballot," said Commissioner Skip Alston. "Then you have the presidents and all the ads talking about anti-tax and no tax this and no tax there. And then you’re gonna go down the bottom of the, of the ballot and you’re gonna see whether I’m gonna vote for a tax, uh, increase on for sales. And a lot of people kind of shied away from that.”
If you went to the polls yesterday, here’s what you saw on your ballot. The question read: "Local sales and use tax at the rate of one-quarter percent (0.25%) in addition to all other state and local sales and use taxes." But Alston says efforts to change the wording were rejected by the North Carolina Senate. Voters I spoke to say that could be the reason why it failed.
“I think if that was put on there about what it was used for, that might have changed the vote," said Stuart Kaufman. "But the only way you knew about it is if you read the paper or was on the news.”
“There’s no explanation. It should have just been clear," Dionne Latham added. "This is the purpose of what these funds will go to, and these are the categories in which we are trying to fund. It should be very clear, but it wasn’t.”
The sales tax hike was intended to benefit Guilford County schools, the use of the funds is not allowed to be listed on the ballot, according to Dr. Whitney Oakley, Superintendent of Guilford County Schools.
Not everything you would have bought would have been taxed. Items like gas, groceries, and medicine would have been exempt. There's no word yet on if or when this proposal will come up again.
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