Ashland residents are being asked to approve a new half-cent sales tax in the April 3 municipal election that would fund city parks and pay for stormwater improvements.
The city's current total sales tax rate is 7.975 percent, including state and county taxes. If voters approve the new half-cent tax, Ashland's total sales tax rate would increase to 8.475 percent.
Ashland Mayor Gene Rhorer said the park and stormwater runoff tax would have no sunset if approved.
"We need to cover the general maintenance needs at our parks before we start looking at new playground equipment," he said.
Prior to adopting a stormwater ordinance, Rhorer said, Ashland did not have any kind of stormwater regulation, so its "Oldtown" area, which includes the downtown area, needs immediate attention.
"We have been paying for that work out of our general fund and last year that cost $80,000," he said.
With half of the money going to parks and half to stormwater, Rhorer said, city officials expect the tax to generate $140,000-$160,000 per year.
The proposed tax only requires a simple majority to pass.
"I do think this could help attract more economic development if it's passed," he said. "It costs $40,000 to just maintain the parks, if we don't buy anything new, per year."
Rhorer said there is a lot of competition for money coming out of Ashland's general fund, with the majority going to law enforcement.
"We need another police officer, but we can't get one because we have to keep up the parks," he said.
Rhorer said he feels it is not out of the ordinary for a smaller town like Ashland to ask voters for such a tax as it grows.
"We've cut back, back as much as we could," he said. "We don't ask voters for something unless we definitely need it. Our growth rate has tripled, so we need that revenue."