Boone County voters renew road and bridge tax

Voters in Boone County renewed a county-wide road and bridge tax in Tuesday’s special election. 13,495 people voted in favor of proposition one while 2,217 voted against it.

The half-cent sales tax will be used to improve and maintain roads, bridges and right-of-ways.

County officials and supporters of Proposition 1 said maintaining county roads are important for residents, visitors, and emergency services.

“We could go on and on about all the things that happen because of the roads, so they have to be in good shape,” said Dan Atwill, Boone County Presiding Commissioner.

About 77 percent of the funding to improve and maintain Boone County roads comes from the tax while the remaining percent comes from other sources, such as property or motor vehicle taxes.

The tax first made its debut on the ballot back in 1993. It brings about $14 million annually of the county’s $18 million total road and bridge budget for 771 miles of county roads.

“We have such large employers. There’s so many people that live in other counties, work in Boone County and need to get to us,” said Roger Wilson, chairman of the Good Roads and Bridges Committee. “A lot of them use those county roads as well as state and city roads.”

Tuesday’s vote renews the sales tax for the next 10 years.