Allen County voters could get another say on a proposed half-cent sales tax for emergency medical services (EMS) as county commissioners prepare to finalize ballot language for the November election.
Commission Chairman David Lee called for the county to move forward with placing the half-cent sales tax on the ballot Tuesday morning, but County Clerk Shannon Patterson recommended waiting until next week, when she expects the resolution authorizing the ballot question to be ready.
The county previously hired Kansas City-based lobbyist Mike Taylor, owner of StrategyConsultants, to help educate voters about the proposal. A recent small-group meeting with Taylor included representatives from agriculture, small business and economic development and was described by Lee as “very positive.”
The education materials are expected to be ready by the end of September. Patterson is finalizing the resolution and ballot language and plans to have County Counselor Bob Johnson review it.
The timing is tight. Military ballots must be mailed by Sept. 19, and the county’s ballot programmer is expected to arrive either next week or the following week. Once the wording is finalized, it can be entered into the ballot system.
ALLEN COUNTY voters rejected a half-cent EMS sales tax in 2024, with 52% voting against it. The previous ballot language also drew criticism, Commissioner John Brocker noted, for being difficult to understand.
Commissioners discussed whether the county’s investment in Taylor’s educational campaign should lead to another vote.
“Since we’ve committed to spending the money on a consultant, I think we’re obligated to put the sales tax on the ballot,” Commissioner Jerry Daniels said.
Taylor’s assessment, according to Patterson, is that there is enough time to provide voters with factual information about both sides of the issue.
The discussion also turned to how the county should pay for EMS and other services in the future. Lee pointed to a choice between relying entirely on property taxes or creating a combination of property and sales taxes.
Daniels argued that additional revenue will be necessary to maintain current services.
“We’re talking about funding basic emergency services,” Daniels said. “That should be a given. If we do not, we will reduce services. There’s no way around it and I don’t want to see that. Nobody wants to see that happen.”
Lee framed the ballot question as an opportunity for residents, rather than commissioners, to make the decision.
“This is one of those things where the people are going to make the choice,” Lee said. “It’s not the three of us.”
Commissioners plan to discuss the sales tax at 9:15 a.m., at their Tuesday, Sept. 8 meeting. Daniels suggested putting the issue on the agenda specifically to allow constituents who want to discuss the proposal to attend the meeting.
“What I hate to see is two or three people come in here and make a decision for the whole county,” Lee said. “I would like to give the whole county an opportunity to make a decision.”
