Coming July 1, 2004 everybody should get ready to pay an extra one-cent on every dollar spent at businesses in Marengo County. The Marengo County Commission finally signed off on the new one-cent sales tax increase from 8 percent to 9 percent that would generate money for local schools, volunteer fire departments and rescue squads as well as other county needs.

When it came time to vote for the sales tax every commissioner including Ken Tucker voted for it. Tucker said he is still against the sales tax, but because it made it through the legislation and the Governor of Alabama signed off on it, so he went voted for it.

“I worked very hard to make sure the compromise for the local car dealers, agri-businesses and machinery was fair because we didn’t want to hurt our local businesses and that it positively impacts everyone,” Tucker said.

Commission Chairman Max Joiner said the new tax would be implemented into effect on July 1. He also said he was pleased with the compromise and that it shouldn’t really effect those businesses in any way.

One of the major opponents of the new sales tax was Baugh Ford and Baugh Chevrolet owner Patrick Baugh. He opposed the sales tax because of the negative effect an increase would have on his businesses and thus run them to other dealers outside the area, but once he learned of the new compromise he was very satisfied with it.

“I’m happy to hear about the compromise because last I heard it was going to be one half of one percent increase,” Baugh said. “But with it being only .15 of one percent that’s only $30 extra to a $20,000 automobile.”

The commission also chose Ala-tax to help collect the taxes and to evenly distribute them amongst the many different organizations.

Here is the rest of the action from the Marengo County Commission Meeting:

* Thanked the libraries of Marengo County and the Bookmobile for all that they do for the children and adults of the county.

* John Bell introduced the solid waste management plan and the commission tabled the matter.

* Sold some scrap metal for $210