An extension of Leon County’s half penny sales tax for public schools could be in trouble. The proposal sits at the bottom of this year’s ballot, and supporters of the tax say that could pose a serious problem come Election Day.
Leon County School Officials want to extend the half-penny sales tax for fifteen years. But they need voters’ permission to do so. An advocacy group for the half penny tax, Leon ABC’s, says it would bring in a much needed $265 million for infrastructure and technology. But the group’s Chairman, Steve Uhlfelder said the extension’s placement as the very last measure on the ballot is raising worries.
“We’re telling people to vote from the bottom up so they don’t miss it. They’re eleven Constitutional Amendments before it and a lot of organizations are trying to get everyone to vote against all those and we don’t want them to go voting against all of the and come to outs and vote against it as well,” said Uhlfelder
The half penny tax needs 50% of the votes to be yes for the extension. If the tax doesn’t receive enough votes, it will stop at the end of this year.