| Bubba,
Do you really believe the commissioners will have no choice but to raise property taxes? Of course they will have a choice!
If the county does indeed repeal it's 1/2% wnd sales tax, the city alone will be responsible to build the sec. The county will not be, at all, responsible for the building of a sec. The county commissioners know this is true.
When this tax is repealed, the inter-local agreement between the City of Dodge City and Ford County will be dissolved. When this happens the County is held responsible to pay off all its debts (bonds issued) incurred by the WND sales tax. The remaining share of the County’s portion (somewhere around 5 million dollars) of the WND sales tax account will automatically be transferred into Ford County’s General Fund. The County would also enter into an agreement with the city as to which governing bodies will take ownership of the current facilities. (DCRP, Legends Complex). Then the County will be out of the picture.
Here's the question?
Will the City Commissioners raise the city budget by over $2.2 million per year to recover lost sales tax dollars from the countys' 1/2% wnd sales tax that was repealed?
The city commissioners (4 of 5) may try to hint that they will. But when it comes down to the nitty gritty, they will not vote to increase the city budget and designate property tax dollars for wnd projects. It just won't happen.
That's my opinion!
I know there are alot of people, myself included, who are being raked over the coals with the high property taxes of Ford County. Alot of people will, out of fear, do almost anything to keep property taxes from going up. Including using that fear to intimidate others.  |