Taxpayers will know about sales tax increase tomorrow

At about 7:30 p.m. tomorrow night, Historic City News will be able to report to residents whether or not a half-cent local option tax will increase the amount of sales tax collected in St Johns County above the six percent base rate.

Precincts for the one-issue election will be open from 7:00 a.m. until 7:00 p.m. throughout St. Johns County. Supervisor of Elections Vicky Oakes said she’s expecting a 25 to 30 percent turnout for the special election.

The special election is being held for a referendum on whether to increase the county’s sales tax by a half-cent to increase funds to the school district. Most northeast Florida counties are already at seven percent.

School officials say the district needs the extra money to keep the state’s top-rated classrooms from becoming even more overcrowded.

Hundreds of students are currently being taught in mobile classrooms that are not attached to the regular school buildings.

St. Johns County School District Superintendent Dr. Joseph Joyner said the half-cent sales tax increase is needed. He said without it there will be more students in mobile classrooms.

“We’ll continue to be more overcrowded,” Dr. Joyner said. “I think part of it is we are living the experience right now.”

School officials said there are more than 6,360 students in mobile classrooms. That’s the equivalent of nine county elementary schools.

Dave Heimbold with the Saint Augustine Tea Party said he is against increasing the county’s sales tax. He protested near the St. Johns County Supervisor of Elections office, where people could early vote for or against the referendum.

“The Saint Augustine Tea Party and the rest of the Tea Parties across the nation are against increasing taxes,” Heimbold said. “TEA stands for Taxed Enough Already. We’re fed up. This is a fix. This is a con job. This is an attack on the people of St. Johns County.”

According to the county’s supervisor of elections website, 7,429 voters cast ballots during early voting, and 10,514 ballots had been submitted by mail, as of tonight.