Sales tax for emergency equipment on the horizon

The quorum court had a light agenda Monday evening, but extended the meeting with a lengthy off-agenda discussion of adding a county-wide sales tax.

At the end of the meeting, justices of the peace have an opportunity to comment on items that might not appear on the agenda. Comments often include suggestions for future agenda items. Recent agendas have included discussion of upgrading the radio system serving the county’s law enforcement and first responders. That topic did not appear on Monday’s agenda, even after JPs had an opportunity to amend the agenda, but JP Jack Deaton raised the issue. He said only a sales tax could generate the $6,000,000 estimated for the project.

“I’ll probably get shot on the way home,” he said, “but the only answer is a sales tax.” He said a third of the calls coming into dispatch are from visitors or people who do not own property, and a millage would only affect property owners.

Deaton said the county is “on borrowed time” with the communications upgrade. Interference has increased steadily, and dispatch sometimes cannot communicate with law enforcement officers. In addition to the interference problems, the entire aging system could fail at any time. “If it goes down, we’ll be dead in the water,” he said.

JP Craig Hicks, a Berryville police officer, said problems are growing, and dispatchers could not speak to officers during a 20-minute period last week. He commended efforts by County Judge Sam Barr to involve Berryville Mayor Tim McKinney and others in the conversation.

JPs discussed possible dates to ask voters for a sales tax. The county would have to pay for a special election, but they could add the issue to the ballot during another vote. A school board election is scheduled for May 21, but that would not provide enough time to generate public support. The next regular election after that would not come until the primary election in the spring of 2020. “It needs to be done this year,” Deaton said. “It could go down at any time.”

The proposed sales tax might have a sunset clause. JP Larry Swofford suggested including new radios for city police and fire departments in the package, so municipalities will not face an extra expense on top of the sales tax.