Scott City's tax plan

City officials in Scott City hope that residents have been pleased with how they've handled revenue from a 1998 tax increase and will approve its renewal Aug. 3

Money collected by a one-quarter percent sales tax helped raise the $290,000 for the fire department.

The city council recently outlined exactly how additional revenue from the sales tax would be spent should voters approve. The tax generates about $70,000 a year for the city.

If passed, the extended tax would fund repairs to the municipal building that houses city hall, the police department and fire department and would pay for equipment needed by the parks and public works departments.

Revenue from the tax also would allow the city to purchase railroad land along Main Street and near the interstate that would expand the street and create a center turn lane.

Some of the projects the city needs to complete are too expensive for a single budget item. A new roof for city hall could easily take up half the revenue from the tax. And finding money in the city coffers to pay for such projects means another department or division would have to do without.

Asking voters to renew an existing tax is a sensible approach to funding city projects.

The current tax sunsets in April. If the tax is renewed, it would be in effect for seven years.