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Commissioner Sankey voices disappointment after 1‑cent sales‑tax proposal stalls
Summary
Commissioner Sankey expressed frustration that a negotiated 1-cent sales-tax proposal — intended to reallocate 10% of proceeds to county priorities including public safety and repayment to Jackson Hospital — did not get support; he urged continued negotiations, citing reserves and county obligations.
Commissioner Sankey used his allotted time near the end of the March 31 meeting to criticize the commission's failure to advance a proposed 1-cent sales tax that county leaders had negotiated with Montgomery Public Schools and Pike Road Schools.
Sankey said the proposal would have allowed the county to hold 10% of a one-cent sales tax (about $42 million in 2026) to fund county priorities including public safety, public health care and economic development, and to help repay $17 million owed to Jackson Hospital. He acknowledged the deal was imperfect but said the county needs a sustainable revenue source to cover obligations and to support county employees and services.
"We have $67 million in reserves, is that right? Before the Jackson Hospital check, so we're probably down to 57," he said, laying out county reserves and obligations and warning that continued expenses require new revenue. Sankey said he would continue to pursue the measure despite the setback, calling the proposal an 'investment back in Montgomery County.'
He said the agreement had been negotiated with Montgomery Public Schools and Pike Road Schools and that although nobody liked the final form, all parties had recognized the need to support the county's four stated pillars — public safety, public health, economic development and quality of life. Sankey urged colleagues to keep working toward a solution that sustains county programs and personnel.
The commission did not vote to adopt the sales-tax change during the meeting; Sankey characterized the result as disappointing and said he would continue efforts toward an agreement.
