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Sheridan staff recommend asking voters for 0.5% sales-tax increase to fund public safety
Summary
City staff presented council with options for a ballot sales-tax increase and asked council to operate under the assumption of a 0.5 percentage‑point ask (described as 50¢ on $100). Officials emphasized timing, voter messaging, Spanish-language outreach and constraints on city communications once the ballot language is set.
City Manager Devin Granbury urged the Sheridan City Council to pursue a 0.5 percentage‑point sales‑tax increase to bolster public‑safety funding and to begin shaping voter outreach materials ahead of county deadlines.
Granbury walked council through a packet table comparing municipal sales‑tax rates across the metro area and warned that larger increases could make the city “uncompetitive.” He framed the proposal as modest and targeted: “We’re only asking for 0.5 of 1%. That comes out to 50¢ on a $100,” Granbury said. Staff and council discussed timing: the county submittal is expected on Aug. 24 and a final rate must be set before the ballot language is filed.
Council discussed revenue scale and messaging. Staff repeatedly advised focusing the ballot message on public safety — patrol vehicles, emergency medical equipment and contract fire/dispatch costs — while keeping the ballot language broad enough to cover evolving needs. Granbury acknowledged the increase would not fully fund public‑safety needs but said it would provide a steady supplemental revenue source; he cautioned the city to stagger any other fee or rate increases (stormwater was cited as an item to avoid asking concurrently).
Staff also showed English/Spanish outreach mockups and emphasized that the city can publish only informational (not persuasive) material once the ballot is set; elected officials may campaign personally but cannot use city resources for persuasion. Granbury asked council for a working assumption of 0.5% to allow staff to continue preparing materials and final ordinance language for later readings and the county filing deadline.
