MORLEY SALES TAX FAILS, MAY BE RESUBMITTED

MORLEY -- It might have been a lack of information that killed a half-cent sales tax in Morley that would have provided enough revenue to maintain the city's 30-year-old fire equipment.

The measure failed in Tuesday's general election by 177 to 111, or 63 percent of the vote.

"Evidently the people didn't understand the need for it or didn't understand where the money was going," Mayor Randy Conn said.

Conn said the city's aldermen will discuss their options next week at their regular city council meeting.

"We may have to scale back services," he said.

Conn said he the return was not a disappointment, just a setback.

Morley's aldermen had presented the tax as the best of all options: a tax that would have little negative impact on its citizens and would go to an urgent need.

Morley Alderman and Police Commissioner Ed Ulmer estimated that 70 to 80 percent of the $30,000 estimated revenue would have been paid by people outside of Morley. The money would have gone to retaining the city's only full-time police officer and maintaining the fire department's equipment.

Conn said it is possible the aldermen would attempt the sales tax again next year after informing the Morley citizens of the benefits of the tax.