All Sales Tax Questions Pass
11.14.07-
McCook voters expressed support for the existing 1 percent city sales tax Tuesday and added an additional half-cent sales tax for community economic development and the economic development plan.
Rex Nelson, executive director of the McCook Economic Development Corp, said the approval of the city sales tax reflected positively on McCook. "It says good things about the community, to the rest of the state and to other businesses about how progressive we are," he said. "It's very encouraging to see how the community stepped up to make a long term investment in the community and to the future.
City Manager Kurt Fritsch agreed. "A lot of people worked hard on this and my hat is off to the City Council and the McCook Economic Development, who did most of the legwork," he said. "It's now up to us to spend the money wisely," he added.
"It's a big relief, especially the second two" questions on economic development, Councilman Aaron Kircher said Tuesday night. "Now we're almost on a level playing field with other communities," he said. Kircher said finishing the J Street project is his main priority for sales tax money, then using it to get rid of rundown downtown buildings and "getting some new businesses" in some of the vacant stores.
The editorial page in the McCook Daily Gazette had these things to say on the subject: “As one city sales tax proponent summed up Tuesday's election, "The work is just starting." But as any carpenter will tell you, work is difficult or impossible if you don't have the right tools. At least now, the McCook Economic Development Corp. and other local interests will be on a more even footing when presented with an industrial prospect for McCook.
That hasn't always been the case. McCook is a latecomer in adapting LB840 provisions, which allow money from the half-cent city sales tax to be offered to private industries under an industrial development plan. One of the early-adopters was Gothenburg, which used its LB840 war chest to lure Baldwin Filters away from other suitors, including McCook. Other industries which have been attracted to the town of 3,700 population include Frito Lay, Land O' Lakes, Monsanto Seed Research and Hoovestol Trucking.
McCook has been no slouch in attracting industry, of course, listing Parker Hannifin's hose factory and Valmont Industry's state-of-the-art irrigation equipment manufacturing plant among its conquests.
However, while we have adequate highways, railroad and -- thanks to Sen. Ben Nelson and other legislators' support of federal subsidies -- daily air service, geography is always an issue for communities like McCook that aren't along Interstate 80, but we do have U.S. Highway 83, and who knows, perhaps the next decades will see the northeast-southwest Snowbird Trail become a reality.
There have been struggles and failures, but the majority of businesses financed through incentives like Red Willow County's revolving loan fund have made a go of it, adding momentum to local business activity. Those failures and struggles can provide valuable experience as more funding becomes available for larger businesses -- and larger risks. But at least now we have the right tools in our chest.
Of 5,208 eligible voters, 1,634 went to the polls, for a 31 percent turnout.”
Click here for more information on the sales tax, the economic development plan and ballot language. |
