Carson City Supervisors agree to 1/8th cent sales tax to fund city projects
In an emotionally-charged issue that brought out passionate pleas for and against, Carson City supervisors agreed to a 1/8th-cent sales tax to fund several infrastructure projects.
The final vote was 4 to 1, with Supervisor Jim Shirk dissenting. John McKenna, who was seen as the swing vote, agreed in the end which allowed for a required two-thirds majority.
The money will help pay for a new multi-purpose athletic center, known as the “MAC,” a new animal services facility, and streetscape beautification and safety enhancements along the Carson City’s main commercial corridors and the downtown area.
In a passionate plea, Mayor Bob Crowell said Carson City must move forward, think of the future and understand that the kind of infrastructure called for in the plan entices business to relocate here, people who want to visit and locals who want to have the new athletic center and animal shelter.
Supervisor Karen Abowd said before the vote the plan provides a road map to the future that allows the city to increase its revenue stream, prioritize projects, have the necessary oversight. "If the city thrives, we all benefit," she said.
At the end of the day it came down to raising taxes for Shirk. Before the final vote he introduced a plan that he said would have paid for projects and improvements by freezing most of the redevelopment funds and earmarking the money, creative cutting of department spending, private fundraising and further forging private public partnerships. The plan did not move forward but Supervisor Brad Bonkowski said that some of the creative measures Shirk spoke of interested him and should be explored.
Shirk noted at the end of the meeting that he would work with the city as the projects get off the ground.
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- John McKenna
- Karen Abowd