The Columbia Board of Aldermen has appointed election commissioners to handle the upcoming referendum on a 3 percent hotel and restaurant sales tax.
Election Commissioners Brenda Shields, Carolyn Arinder and Tabitha Allen will oversee the May 6 election where city voters will decide about the tax that would fund a youth sportsplex and park and tourism promotions.
The city is also contracting with Marion County Circuit Clerk Janette Nolan to provide training and assistance.
Polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, May 6 at all four city precincts: the Columbia-Marion County Library, Jefferson Middle School, City Hall and the Expo Center. City Attorney Lawrence Hahn said an attorney general opinion required the city to have all of its polling places open.
Paper ballots will be used rather than electronic voting machines.
Absentee voting will be available at City Hall, with tentative plans for it to start Friday.
The vote will require a 60 percent majority in the election to pass, and the tax would take effect July 1 if it does. The tax would generate an estimated $750,000 per year, based on dining and lodging sales in 2018 in Columbia, and the city has plans to build a sportsplex on its land on R.A. Johnson Drive. After it is built, proceeds from the tax would fund the maintenance of the sportsplex and other parks and tourism improvements.
During a special meeting last Friday morning, aldermen initially reappointed Shields and Debora Batimon and appointed Arinder based on Mayor Justin McKenzie’s recommendation. However, McKenzie said Batimon will not be able to work the May 6 referendum, so the board made Blake Beal an alternate election commissioner who would have served for this election and received training so he would be available in the future.
But McKenzie said following the meeting they found out they were not allowed to name an alternate election commissioner. So the board met again Friday afternoon, rescinded its previous appointments and appointed Shields, Arinder and Beal, with Shields as chairman.
Officials then learned after the meeting that Beal had recently moved outside the city limits, making him ineligible to serve. The board met again in a third special meeting Monday, rescinded Beal’s appointment and appointed Allen, a longtime employee in the Marion County Chancery Clerk’s Office.
The election commissioners will be paid $10 per hour.
Former Election Commissioner Kit Marable had asked to step down, and officials thanked her for her contributions.
“We definitely want to recognize her and thank her for her service to the city of Columbia,” McKenzie said.
The board also approved a contract with Nolan for $20 per billed hour with a maximum total of $800. Hahn said the law requires having a contract in place and praised Nolan’s knowledge of election law.
SAMPLE BALLOT
Editor’s Note: This is the language that will be used on the May 6 ballot in the Columbia tourism tax referendum.
The proposed levy of a 3% sales tax upon the gross proceeds of sales for restaurants or such other businesses where prepared food or drink is sold to the public within the City of Columbia and upon the gross proceeds of room rentals for hotels or motels within the City of Columbia, said sales tax proceeds to be used for the purpose of providing funds for promoting tourism and parks and recreation for the City of Columbia, MS.
Special Election Regarding the 3% Sales Tax Levy
• For the tax
• Against the tax
