Sales tax tileVoters in Jackson County, Ala., on Tuesday voted down a proposed one-cent sales tax increase that would have raised an estimated $3.3 million a year for the financially troubled county.
The vote was 3,947 against to 2,622 in favor on Tuesday's up-down tally, according to election officials in Scottsboro.
Larry Hancock, chairman of the board of registrars, said turnout on Tuesday was about half of normal with just 6,569 voters going to the polls. He wasn't sure whether weather impacted the numbers or not.
Hancock said Tuesday's special election drew about 6 percent of the county's 36,000 or so registered voters.
Hancock was worried about the cuts that will have to be made to balance an estimated $1 million to $2 million budget deficit, he said.
Jackson County Commission Chairman Matthew Hodges and all County Commissioners have said deep cuts to county services are the most likely remaining option to balance the books.
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