Commission passes one-cent sales tax to benefit county school systems

At a called meeting Thursday night, the Marengo County Commission voted 4-1 to raise the sales tax by one cent to benefit the three school systems in the county.

All three superintendents — Dr. Luke Hallmark with the county system, Dr. Timothy Thurman of Linden and Tony Willis of Demopolis — spoke briefly on the need for funding to provide maintenance and support operations at their respective school campuses and to enhance the technology and other facilities to benefit student education.

Alabama law allows county and city governments to raise sales taxes so long as the money is used entirely for school systems, explained Commissioner Jason Windham. The county government will not receive any funding.

Windham said distribution will be made according to daily attendance average, the same method now used for current taxes.

The county sales tax will be 10 percent when paperwork is completed. Commissioner Michael Thompson was the only dissenting vote.

County schools superintendent Hallmark released the following statement:

“The Marengo County Board of Education would like to thank the Marengo County Commissioners for voting to help all of the school systems in Marengo County with their operations and maintenance, This is very much appreciated and lets us all know how committed they are fore giving our students a better opportunity to compete academically.”