Sales Tax removed from special election ballot

The Mat Su Borough Assembly has voted to postpone a proposed sales tax ordinance in order to reassess the benefits to tax diversification.

The sales tax issue will not appear on the ballot in the upcoming special election on June 9^th.  The Borough originally scheduled several public hearings throughout April on the subject.

The 3% sales tax proposed would have given residential property taxpayers a tax exemption and limited the area-wide property tax to 7.8 mills.  The proposed tax, if passed, was to have a sunset clause of 2014. 

After discussion with various city officials and the public Tuesday night, the Assembly decided to pull the tax question from the special election and schedule further discussion.  Assembly member Mark Ewing asked for a work session on the topic at the regular June 2^nd Assembly meeting at 3 p.m.

The special election to fill the seat of past mayor Curt Menard will still take place on June 9^th  without the sales tax question on the ballot.