Hancock County considers strategy for sales tax

1/13/2005

FINDLAY - With the county's emergency 0.25 percent sales tax scheduled to expire in June, Hancock County commissioners said they will decide soon on when and how to ask voters to renew the tax.

Commissioner Emily Walton said the board must determine whether to put the issue on the ballot in May or November and whether to designate income from the tax for the criminal justice system as it did two years ago or to use the proceeds for the general fund. Commissioners also must decide whether to again make it a temporary tax or to ask voters to approve it as a permanent tax.

To get the issue on the May ballot, commissioners would need to make a decision by Jan. 26. Voters approved the sales tax in May, 2003, to prevent layoffs at the sheriff's office and jail because of a countywide financial crisis.