Public Hearing About Hancock County Sales Tax Held

10/18/18 – 5:20 A.M.
UPDATE – 11:21 A.M. (A previous version of this story mistakenlysaid the meeting took place on Thursday. The meeting took place on Wednesday night. We do not have access to a flux capacitor.)

Only two people spoke against Hancock County’s plans to replace an expiring sales tax with a new tax at the end of the year during a public hearing Wednesday. Dave Martaus of Marion Township said he disagreed with two of the three commissioners imposing a “$3.4 million tax on a large number of people.” , He added that he believed it represents a 33 percent increase.”

Commissioner Brian Robertson disagreed with Martaus’ numbers. Robertson said the tax wouldn’t increase revenue for the county because it’s only replacing the expiring sales tax, not increasing it. Martaus argued that aside from the soon-to-expire tax, Hancock County already collects a three-quarter percent sales tax for operations. He said by his math the replacement tax would represent a 33 percent increase.

Several county officials spoke on behalf of the sales tax during the meeting. Sheriff Mike Heldman, Prosecutor Phil Riegle, and Juvenile and Probate Court Judge Kristen Johnson all said the county needs more money to expand jail capacity and update the probate court.

Commissioner Mark Gazarek voted against moving to the public hearing stage of the tax implementation a few weeks ago. He said he thought residents should vote on replacing the expiring tax. Commissioners Brian Robertson and Tim Bechtol voted in favor of moving forward.

The next public hearing on the tax proposal is set for October 25 at 1:30 p.m. in the first-floor hearing room of the commissioners’ office.

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