County Judge Robert Newsom and the County Commissioners have been in Austin this week lobbying on behalf of their bill which would allow them to ask voters to let them pay for the new County Jail with increased sales tax in lieu of property taxes. A seven cent increase in the tax rate would be done away with. The bill continues to make it way through the system. Some have expressed opposition to the bill saying it’s bad for local business. County Commissioner Beth Wisenbaker likes the bill because it allows the public to decide the issue. She says the increased sales tax revenue will be dedicated solely for paying off the jail. Commissioner Wisenbaker says when the jail is paid off, the increased sales tax goes away.
