Commissioners signal support for tax increase

TUSCUMBIA -- Colbert commissioners passed a resolution Tuesday supporting a bill that could lead to a half-cent sales tax increase that will generate revenue for an economic development incentive fund.

The vote was 4-1, with Commissioner Emmitt Jimmar voting against the resolution.

The bill must now be introduced into the state Legislature. If the bill passes the House and Senate and is signed by the governor, it will then return to the commission for a vote on the proposal.

Lauderdale County commissioners approved the same draft of the bill last week. The bill is being advertised in newspapers in both counties.

The money generated by the tax can only be used to provide inducements for recruitment of new industry, acquisition and development of land for industrial parks, construction of buildings for lease to industries, support for expansion of existing industry in the Shoals and funding operations of the Shoals Economic Development Authority.

A separate bill will create the Shoals Industrial Development Committee that will oversee proceeds from the sales tax.

Colbert County Commissioner Rex Burleson said the final draft of the bill included call centers and merchandise distribution centers as businesses that could receive incentive funds from the committee.

He also said the bill states that after 10 years, the governments can choose to reduce or eliminate the tax if the money has not been used.

The tax can only be eliminated if no debt has been incurred against the fund, Burleson said.

The commission also voted 4 to 1 to approve an ordinance that would require people to clean up accumulations of junk.

Jimmar also voted against the junk ordinance, which will go into effect June 1.

The only change to the ordinance is that instead of having 10 days to clean up their property, violators will be given 21 days to remove junk.

The ordinance was passed despite Jimmar's suggestion that the commission needs a procedure for how people are approached, in order to "find some way to eliminate some of the hostility."

In other business, the commission: