The increase will help with a projected $20 million deficit in the county's 2020 budget.
(Hamilton County, Oh.) – The sales tax is going up in Hamilton County.
Hamilton County Commissioners Todd Portune, Denise Driehaus and Stephanie Dumas voted unanimously on Tuesday to permanently extend a 0.25 percent sales tax increase, reports The Enquirer.
The sales tax, going to 7.0 percent, will address projected $20 million deficit in the county’s 2020 budget.
The 0.25 percent increase is expected to generate $20 million in the final six months of 2020 and $40 million the following year. It would also keep the county from cutting additional programs.
The Hamilton County Republican Party will likely challenge the sales tax increase, as they have previously.
They would need to secure approximately 34,000 signatures in order to get the issue on the ballot come March. Then the tax increase would be put in the hands of the voters.
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