Voter Guide

Simple majority required.Ballot wording: Shall North Jefferson County Ambulance District impose a sales tax of an additional one-half (1/2) percent for the purpose of providing revenues for the operation of the North Jefferson County Ambulance District and the total property tax levy on properties in the North Jefferson County Ambulance District shall be reduced annually by an amount which reduces property tax revenues by an amount equal to fifty percent of the previous year’s revenue collected from this sales tax?Summary: The measure would allow the district to increase its half-cent sales tax, first collected in 2014, to 1 cent as now permitted by state law. If passed, the district would collect about $2 million a year in additional sales tax. Half of that amount would be used to offset a required reduction in the district's property tax rate. The increased revenue would enable the growing district to meet increased costs, staff a third ambulance 24/7 based on call demand and expand mobile integrated health services. Supporters say the measure would provide a more equitable way to share the costs of providing service while giving property tax relief. Opponents say the sales tax is regressive and the region's sales taxes are too high.