Perry County voters pass law enforcement sales tax

With the issue on the ballot for the third time in less than five years, Perry County residents voted Tuesday in favor of a quarter-cent sales tax for county law enforcement that'll go in effect Jan. 1.

The proposition passed with 67 percent of the vote, according to the county's unofficial election results.

With two jailers and two patrolman being laid off since 2009, Perry County Sheriff Gary Schaaf said the quarter-cent sales tax will help the department build its force back up.

"I think just about everybody breathed a sigh of relief when results came in," Schaaf said. "It's going to help a bunch, but it's not going to help until next year."

Since the layoffs, the department often operates with one deputy on duty during each eight-hour shift. From Feb. 6 to July 23, out of 504 eight-hour shifts, 160 of them were scheduled with one deputy on duty.

"We've been relying on our reserves quite a bit ... but they're happy to do it, that's why they signed up," Schaaf said.

The last time the county proposed the quarter-cent sales tax was two years ago, when attached to the proposition was the question of hiring a dog catcher for the department. Schaaf said many people told him they were in favor of the sales tax then but didn't want tax funds to be spent on hiring a dog catcher.

"This time it was brought up with no attachments, no building projects or anything. We really need something to get our people back," he said.

Perry County Clerk Randy Taylor said he expects the quarter-cent tax to bring in approximately $560,000 annually, just as it has for the same tax passed for senior citizen and youth services by residents in 2008.

In addition to hiring back jailers and deputies, and possibly additional staff in the future, the department is in desperate need of new squad cars, Schaaf said.

One patrol car has around 250,000 miles on it and a few of the newer vehicles average more than 150,000 miles each.

"We need good quality equipment to work with," Schaaf said.

The sales tax for county law enforcement has no expiration, according to Taylor.

ehevern@semissourian.com

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Pertinent Address:

710 S. Kingshighway St., Perryville, MO