Tipton voters approve library and use taxes

The voters of Tipton Aug. 8 approved two tax issues, which appeared on the ballot.

With about 29 percent of the registered voters casting votes, both passed.

The property tax increase to support the Price James Memorial Library, 24-cents per each $100 of assessed valuation, received overwhelming approval. The issue gained more than 82 percent approval for the "inside the city" property tax.

"We're happy that the people of Tipton voted for the tax to support the library," said Tipton Mayor Jennifer Cary.

According to the Tipton City Clerk Jennifer Schmidt, the tax will be billed in late 2018. The tax is expected to bring in about $60,000 a year for support of the Tipton library. The first actual tax monies could begin coming in by December of 2018, with most available in the first part of 2019.

Although the 24-cent tax would appear to be a hard hit, it will not be as much of a burden as it seems, since the city property owners were already paying a 14-cent property tax rate for the county library.

That tax has been officially ordered terminated, according to County Collector Ellen Ash.

The Tipton voters also approved a use tax, but not by as overwhelming a vote.

The vote for a 1 percent Local Use Tax passed by just more than 67 percent.

This tax on items purchased online, for which no sales tax is collected, is set at the same rate as the local sales tax. According to ballot language, the resident "shall not be required to file a use tax return with the Director of Revenue" if the non-taxed purchases totaled less than $2,000 a year.