Registered voters in Butler County will be receiving sales tax ballots in the mail beginning next Tuesday.
The Butler County Commission is using the mail-in ballot election to ask citizens how they would like to pay for a federally mandated public safety communications system upgrade.
The completed ballots must be returned to the county election office on or before Nov. 24.
Approval of the quarter cent sales tax will generate $1.5 million annually. The sales tax revenue will then be used to pay for the estimated $12.9 million expense of the new communications system.
Butler County will issue debt and the sales tax will be used to pay off the debt in 10 years or less.
The collection of sales tax will begin April 1, 2010 and be paid by resident consumers as well as individuals who make purchases in this county.
Should voters disapprove of the sales tax, the County would fund the new communications with an increase in property taxes.
The new radio system will meet all of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) requirements for implementation by Jan. 1, 2013.
www.bucoks.com
Augusta, Kan. —
