Marion County committee agrees to amend ballot language to direct half-cent sales tax to law enforcement, clarify effective date

A Marion County committee agreed to draft amendments to a proposed sales/use tax ordinance so that an additional one-half cent would be used for law enforcement purposes rather than being limited to law enforcement "facilities," and to add language tying the tax's start to the sunset of the current jail bond issue.

The committee's action, taken during an undated meeting, followed questions about whether the ballot language as written would limit spending to construction and facility costs and whether adding the half-cent could create a temporary overlap with existing jail bond revenues. Committee members asked county attorneys to rewrite the ordinance language and send the revisions to the budget committee for review before the measure goes to voters.

Committee members discussed the ballot text that voters will see and how a small wording change would expand the sheriff's discretion to spend proceeds. The ballot currently describes uses such as to "acquire, construct,…