Lawrence County Publisher Calls for Delay in Education Sales Tax Hike

Although primary election voters approved the imposition of a one percentage point sales tax hike in Lawrence County, former State Rep. now Sumner Press Publisher Roscoe Cunningham is calling for a delay in the county board’s imposing it.

“While changing the rules under which we live, Lawrence County Board of Supervisors should take another look at the 1% (really one percentage point) tax increase and repeal same in toto.

“There is a limit to which a community can be taxed and continue to progress.

“Our county is 1% above that toleration limit.

“Board could postpone the implementation of the tax for a year.”

That’s what Cunningham wrote in his April 29, 2010, column entitle, “Roscoe’s Journal.”

He refers to implementation of legislation sponsored by State Rep. Roger Eddy.

The law says that the county board has to approve levying the new sales tax after passage.

If any school board sells bonds based on paying them back from sales tax proceeds, this non-attorney believes the tax may not be repealed until after the bonds are paid off.

Campaign piece from Champaign County.

The new tax idea passed in Champaign County in 2009. A bit more about the Champaign County effort can be found here.

An article on the winners and losers in such a tax change appears here.


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *