Sales tax, millage pass

PRESCOTT – Two special elections were held Tuesday, one for a one-cent city sales tax in Prescott and the other for a millage increase for the Nevada School District.

When all was said and done, both passed. The sales tax issue was approved 248-20, while the millage posted a 187-108 win for the district.

For the millage, in early voting, it was 10 for and 23 against. However, that turned around at the polls Tuesday when 262 people turned out. The final tally at the poll was 177 for and 85 against.

Where the sales tax was concerned, there were 12 absentee votes cast in favor, with none against. Early voting  showed 110 for the tax and 8 against. When the polls closed Tuesday, 126 voted in favor of the tax at Central Baptist, the only polling place in the city, with 12 voting against.

This was the first time in Nevada’s history the district sought a millage increase. Superintendent Roy McCoy said it was done at this time to help the school keep up with rising inflation and the requirement for new teachers to be paid $50,000 a year to start.

The reason for the sales tax, which carries a sunset clause which will end the tax, is to pay off SWEPCO from the 2021 ice storm when the city was hit with a $2 million bill out of nowhere. Once SWEPCO is paid off, the sales tax will be removed from the books.