news-record.com

Last night the Guilford County Commissioners approved sending a quarter-cent (0.25 cent) sales tax increase to the the ballot for the November elections.

But a number of commissioners are already wondering whether they can sell voters on a tax increase of any kind in the current economy -- especially one that was already defeated twice by voters in 2008.

Commissioners Paul Gibson has been a vocal supporter of the quarter-cent increase since the state granted the counties the ability to put it to a referendum back in 2007. But Gibson said unlike the 17 out of NC's 100 counties that have passed the increase, Guilford County has never started educating voters on the tax early enough and has never thrown its weight behind it.

"With the bond for the county jail, the sheriff did it right," Gibson said. "He got people together, he educated them on the need for it, there was a campaign, billboards, he got people on board with it. We've never done that."

While the county would be legally prohibited from spending money to convince voters one way or another, Gibson said county leaders can and should work with outside groups to make the argument that the quarter cent increase is the least painful way to increase county revenues at a time when the cash-strapped county is facing massive bond debt.

Commissioner John Parks said he'd like to see voters educated on what the increase would and wouldn' t mean. People need to understand that it won't include non-prepared food, medical equipment, motor vehicles, prescription drugs and a host of other items, Park said. He said it would also let some non-Guilford residents help to ease the burden.

"Estimates suggest that non-residents generate 20-40 percent of retail sales in Guilford County," Parks said.

Commissioner Carolyn Coleman moved to have some specific language inserted into the commissioners' proclamation on sending the increase to the ballot that would remind people exactly what they're using the money to pay for -- voter approved bond debt for education, law enforcement and parks and recreation. Coleman said she knows that language won't appear on the ballot, but she still plans to tell people exactly where the money's going when she talks to her constituents about it.