Observer Corps Report
Jefferson County Commission

The 1% sales and use tax passed by the Commission August 24 pushed sewer expansion plans out of the headlines. The ordinance was passed 3 to 2 with Commissioners Langford, Buckelew and Smoot voting for, Commissioners Collins and White voting against.

Despite lawsuits and state legislator threats of repeal, the tax will likely go into effect January 1. The plan is to use the $88 million a year it generates to finance a $1 billion bond issue. State law limits the tax money use to school building projects or to pay off construction debt. Dollars must be distributed evenly among school systems in the county based on the number of students. A special education authority will oversee distribution of the money and a team of project managers, architects, insurers and builders will help design and build the schools.

On September 7 the Commission passed a resolution naming the firms to proceed with planning, structuring and documenting the issuance of the Education Obligations.