Letter: There is a big difference between one cent and one percent

Tom Martin
St Augustine, FL

Thanks, Michael, for your editorial in Historic City News, “Vote NO to one-cent sales surtax“.  That wording states exactly what the promoters who drafted the surtax referendum want voters to think — however, there is a big difference between “one cent” and “one percent”.

St Johns County voters need to understand that what we are voting on is a proposal to take our 6.5% sales tax up to 7.5% on all taxable purchases up to $5,000.  The language on the ballot is misleading.

Terms such as “One-cent” and “penny” mislead people to believe that only a “single cent” will be taken at the point of sale if this referendum is approved.  They do not fully understand that for the next 10 years, an additional 1% tax will be assessed each time a purchase is made.

Everyday taxable transactions rarely exceed $5,000, but, if the proposed surtax is approved, the first $5,000 of all “big ticket” purchases (like jewelry, a boat, a home improvement, or an automobile) are going to pay an extra $50.00, not “one cent” or a “penny”.