Tuesday meeting to address sales tax
Published 12:00 am Monday, February 9, 2004
The Marengo County Commission will hold its regular monthly meeting Tuesday at 9 a.m. at the county courthouse in Linden. Local officials expect the commission to discuss the distribution formula for the proposed county one-cent sales tax, and many citizens have expressed an interest in attending Tuesday’s meeting to voice their opinion on the tax.
The three school systems, eight municipalities, Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital, volunteer fire departments and county government are expected to benefit from the revenue based on the Alabama House bill advertised in Marengo County newspapers.
The tax is expected to generate more than $1.5 million annually.
The resolution to advertise and have the bill presented in the state legislature was approved by four county commissioners, John Crawford Jr., Freddie Armstead, George Baldwin and chairman Max Joiner. Commissioner Ken Tucker voted against the resolution.
The three county school systems, Demopolis City, Marengo County and Linden City, will share 17 percent of the revenue generated each year by the sales tax increase.
Another 17 percent of the sales tax revenue is expected to go to Bryan W. Whitfield Memorial Hospital. The amount the hospital will receive will be based on the mediation of a suit brought against the county by the Tombigbee Healthcare Authority.
The suit was mediated late last year, but details of the settlement have not been released.
Another 16.5 percent of the revenue from the sales tax will be divided among eight municipalities: Demopolis, Linden, Thomaston, Providence, Sweet Water, Myrtlewood, Faunsdale and Dayton.
One-and-one half percent will be distributed to the volunteer fire departments and rescue squads.
It is expected that 48 percent of the proposed sales tax revenue will go into the county general fund to possibly be used for renovation of the courthouse, road improvement and other needs.