CACHE, Okla_The City of Cache is pushing for a
sales tax increase to create an economic development fund. The Cache City Council
voted this week to put the proposal on the ballot next April. They're asking
for an increase of 3/4 of a cent and it would run indefinitely. The council said
the tax will bring in around $60,000 a year.
The Cache Economic
Development Authority's Randy Batt said there's no denying that the city has
grown in the last decade, but he said it can do even better. He said an
increase in sales tax would make a big impact on economic development
"If a
business was to come in here and need a little assistance and they had a good
sound business plan, we want to be able to help them. The first 12 months are
critical, then we'd have the source to do that. If we had a project that
involved a loan, we'd have a source to pay back the loan."
Batt said that
was a challenge, coming up with a way to raise the money that would be
acceptable to Cache residents.
"We looked
at sales tax and we looked at increase on maybe the water bills. What came
about between those two is that sales tax would be the best. If you just add a
little to the water bill to pay for some of these projects then the people in
the city are doing the whole brunt of it."
Batt said the
authority decided on a sales tax increase because the added revenue from
non-residents who are spending money in Cache. In fact in the last ten years, Batt
said events at the school have brought thousands of people who are spending
money around Cache. He said tax more of that money means more funding for
improvements in Cache
Batt said the
authority would also like to use the money to improve the overall quality of
life in Cache: building better roads, upgrading parks and recreation facilities
and more funding to the senior citizens center. Residents of Cache who are
learning about the potential increase have mixed emotions
"Cache has
done a lot with what little that they have and with the additional funds that
they had to come in, I think they can do a whole lot for the community. I can
see a lot of improvements that they've made especially to the park and schools
here. With additional funds they could do a lot more," resident Jerry
Greene said.
"if its to
help the community than yes, I would be a little willing to help because that
is what we got to do is help each other but as far as tax increases, that in
itself doesn't sound like a good idea," resident Jacqueline Shields said.
"It helps
out the community a lot, I don't know how many people would really like but I
am one that would be all for it," resident Doug Shields said.
The Cache Economic Development Authority said the city needs a simple
majority to raise the sales tax.
