Woodbury considers half-cent sales tax for public safety campus
The Woodbury City Council discussed a proposed sales tax increase that would appear on the November 5th ballot to fund a new public safety campus. The half-cent tax could raise $50 million over 13 years, but if voters reject it, the city would instead pay for the project through property tax increases.
Woodbury residents will decide in November whether to approve a small sales tax increase to pay for a public safety campus improvement project. The proposed tax would add just 5 cents to every $10 in purchases — a 0.5% increase on the sales tax rate.
City officials say the project has been a priority in their five-year capital improvement plan. The sales tax approach would allow the city to complete the project about seven years faster than relying solely on property taxes. If approved by voters, the tax is projected to generate $50 million over approximately 13 years.
One notable aspect of the proposal: an estimated 53% of the sales tax burden would be paid by people shopping in Woodbury who live outside the city. This means local residents would shoulder a smaller share of the funding cost.
If voters reject the sales tax referendum in November, the city has made clear it will pursue the project anyway — but would finance it through additional property taxes instead. That alternative would take longer and place the burden directly on property owners rather than spreading it across all shoppers.
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Notable Quotes (6)
this project was prioritized in our 5-year Capital Improvement plan
the local option sales tax referendum is really a referendum that's coming to you the voters on the November 5th ballot for you to help decide how to pay for a public safety campus Improvement project
.5% which is equivalent to to just 5 cents on $10
about 53% of people outside wood beard would be the ones to pay for that if approved by voters
about 7 years faster than it could be done with just property tax alone
if the referendum does not pass this planned project will be paid for by additional property taxes
Ordinances & Resolutions (2)
The public safety campus improvement project was prioritized within this long-term financial and development strategy.
A proposed ballot measure for November 5th to implement a .5% sales tax to fund the public safety campus improvement project.
Source document
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