Sales tax re-distribution plan announced

Sen. Phil Williams

A redistribution of Etowah County’s 1 percent sales tax will fund a pay raise for sheriff’s deputies and provide more money for the Drug Enforcement Unit and district attorney’s office, according to Sen. Phil Williams, R-Rainbow City.

The redistribution will involve cuts of 9 percent from most other agencies that share in the sales tax money that totaled about $10.4 million in the last fiscal year.

Changing the distribution of the tax monies requires legislative action. Williams said the only groups that will not see their funding decrease are the three boards of education and the county’s volunteer fire departments. He said when groups receiving funding met with the legislative delegation last year to discuss funding, they gave their best arguments for continuing their funding at the current level.

Williams said The $10,000 appropriation going to the Etowah County Rescue Squad and $5,000 going to Attalla Rescue will be eliminated.

Entities being cut are The Smeltzer Center, 310 Mental Health Board, Gadsden State Community College, the County Commission, Community Development Boards for the three legislative districts and the county’s Library Board.

Williams said the goal is to increase the starting salary for deputies from $11.50 per hour to about $15 a hour. He said there is a “constant revolving door” of deputies getting certified, then getting a higher paying job at another city.

He said boosting law enforcement will increase the ability to prosecute lawbreakers.