Resident urgers voters to select ?yes? on local option sales tax

To the editor:

In 1996, the citizens of Mt. Pleasant passed the one-cent local option sales tax. The local option sales tax was again voted on and passed in 2006. On May 5, we are again offered the opportunity to vote ?yes.? Why?

Local option sales tax funds have been committed by city leaders only to fund capital projects. Such projects have included the Mt. Pleasant Aquatic Center ? and major street renovations like Washington Street, Grand Avenue and Iris Street. Our new police station and improvements to the local municipal airport were made possible by using local option sales tax funds to leverage matching funding from state and federal sources. The availability of these funds has allowed city leaders to avoid raising our property taxes.

The local option sales tax is not an across-the-board tax. It does not apply to basic needs items such as groceries, prescription drugs, gasoline, rent or mortgages, medical services, or utilities which are subject to a franchise fee.

At last count, over 92 percent of cities in Iowa (including Mt. Pleasant) already have a local option sales tax ? and ours is a way to help our city leaders continue major capital improvements in Mt. Pleasant. Please support their efforts by voting ?yes? on May 5.

David File,

President,

Mt. Pleasant Area Development Commission