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| Renewing sales tax is right choice for voters |
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| Opinion | |||
| Written by Editorial Board | |||
| Wednesday, 14 July 2010 08:00 | |||
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Miami County voters would be wise to renew the county’s quarter-cent sales tax when they head to the polls Aug. 3. Paying more money in taxes for goods and services can be a tough pill to swallow, especially for Kansas consumers already facing a statewide 1 percent sales-tax increase, but the benefits of the quarter-cent sales tax program are too good to ignore. The tax already has helped fund multiple road and bridge improvement projects throughout Miami County, and if it is renewed, the tax will help fund five more bridge repair projects spread throughout the county. No matter where you live in Miami County, odds are that one of these projects will benefit you during your routine travels. Perhaps most importantly, though, the tax also gives the county a good chance to capture additional funding from the Kansas Department of Transportation to put toward the projects. During the past five years, the tax has generated about $5 million for projects, but it also helped the county get $5.2 million in federal highway grants. Officials know it is their responsibility to keep Miami County’s roads and bridges safe, and even if the quarter-cent sales tax is not renewed, chances are that the five planned projects still will have to take place. The only difference is, they may have to be funded by an increase in the mill levy, which means more property taxes for residents. Instead, it makes sense to keep the sales tax in place and let everybody who drives through Miami County to buy goods and services help pay for the projects. It’s also important to point out that the tax is a renewal, not a new burden on local consumers. Saving 25 cents for every $100 spent is not worth losing valuable funds used to improve Miami County’s roads and bridges.
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