Yes, there is a citywide sales tax referendum going on. Early voting started last week. Election Day is June 3. The Tribune has been pretty quiet---so far.
There have not been any front-page pictures/headlines/articles quoting all the elected and unelected "leaders" who support the tax. This is quite a contrast to the incessant front-page pro-tax articles/advertisements in the Tribune in the days leading up to the February 5 countywide sales tax referendum that failed.
Maybe the June 3 citywide referendum is going to be a stealth election where the powers-that-be network to make sure that the troops come in and vote for the tax increase, and other than that, mum's the word. Quiet. Don't remind the average taxpayer about the city's June 3 "pick-your-poison" sales tax referendum and early voting.
Bob Moore wrote an article back in March indicating that the City was going to spend $12,000 on this citywide referendum to educate and advocate for passage of the sales tax increase. As of about noon on Thursday, the City had not yet registered with the Hamblen County Election Commission as a "committee" to support the sales tax.
During the last (February 5) referendum, the City of Morristown formed a committee to support the sales tax. This "committee" put up "Vote YES for Sales Tax" signs on city property and at the Courthouse and mailed out letters signed by the City Mayor and all Councilmen encouraging Morristown residents to vote YES for the sales tax increase.
The City donated $3,500.00 tax dollars to this committee. The "committee" spent $3,066.26 of those donated tax dollars to "educate" those voters who might be inclined to vote against a sales tax increase. The City's finance director Dynise Robertson served as treasurer of that committee.
Click on the images above to see the City's donation of $3,500.00 tax dollars to this committee and the itemization of the committee's $3,066.26 in expenditures. [No, I don't know why or who spent tax dollars at an Office Max in Johnson City instead of Office Max in Morristown.]
Most local residents vividly remember the 2002 "pick-your-poison" wheel tax referendum. Tribune headlines provided the education, "Voters Should Pick Poison." (See above). Bob Moore's article quoted the Commission Chair as telling voters it's an "either-or" proposition---either you vote for the wheel tax OR there will be a property tax increase. Voters dutifully "picked" the wheel tax, and County Commission just as dutifully passed a property tax increase just a few short months later.
Now it's the City's turn. They want city voters to "pick" a sales tax increase despite the fact that sales taxes are among the most regressive taxes. They hit everyone, for sure, but they hit the poor and those on fixed incomes the hardest. Despite the disproportionate and heavy burden of sales taxes on the poor, the City spent over $3,000 tax dollars on the last failed sales tax referendum and, according to City Administrator Jim Crumley, the City may spend even more tax dollars ($12,000?) on the current sales tax referendum in order to "educate" voters to vote YES.
The City wants to put the sales tax increase "in-the-revenue-bag" and then property tax increases can resume. Pick one poison (by referendum) and then the property tax poison (that you can't vote on in a referendum) will be just down the road. Just like the county.
The sales tax increase will then be just another eternal tax burden that hits the poor, the elderly, and those on fixed incomes every time they purchase the basic necessities---a loaf of bread, a gallon of milk, shoes, a shirt.
There is already a tremendous sales tax burden (9.5%) on goods purchased in Morristown/ Hamblen County.
Isn't that enough? Aren't people having enough trouble as it is paying for $5/gallon milk, nearly $4/gallon gas, and sky-high food, utility, insurance, and sewer increases?
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