2011 ELECTION INFORMATION
Click above for Updated Polling Information
STREET MAINTENANCE TAX BROCHURE
SPECIAL ELECTION POWERPOINT PRESENTATION - REVISED
ORDER OF SPECIAL ELECTION - REVISED
ORDER OF GENERAL ELECTION - CANCELLATION
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Why not use the entire ½ cent on street maintenance and repair?
State law only allows a city to select either ? cent or ¼ cent for the dedicated street maintenance sales tax, so the most the voters could approve is the ¼ cent for street maintenance.
Will approving both the street maintenance sales tax and the 4B economic development sales tax raise the local sales tax rate in Dickinson?
No. The City's sales tax rate will stay at its current rate of 8.25%. Of the 8.25% sales tax rate, 6.25% goes to the State of Texas and the remaining 2.0% goes to the City. State law limits the City to collecting a maximum of 2.0%.
Can the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax be used on drainage projects?
No. The ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax is a dedicated sales tax that may only be used for the reconstruction, repair and maintenance of municipal streets in existence at the time the sales tax is approved by the voters.
Why wasn't this street maintenance sales tax brought to the voters years ago?
The street maintenance sales tax was not authorized by the Texas Legislature until 2001 when Chapter 327 of the Texas Tax Code was adopted.
The ballot language is confusing! Exactly what will voters be voting on in the Special Election?
If the voters approve the proposition, then the ½ cent sales tax for economic development will be split into ¼ cent for economic development and the remaining ¼ cent will be dedicated to a sales tax for street maintenance.
If the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax is approved, do we always have to have it?
No. The street maintenance sales tax expires four years after it takes effect unless voters vote to continue it in an election. So, the voters will determine every 4 years whether to reauthorize the street maintenance sales tax.
How many cities have adopted the street maintenance sales tax being proposed by the City?
As of February, 2011, 184 cities across the State of Texas have adopted the street maintenance sales tax.
If the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax is approved, will the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation be dissolved or disbanded?
No. As the ballot is worded, a ¼ cent 4B sales tax for economic development will still be collected and those funds will be utilized by the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation for economic development projects that qualify under Chapters 501 and 505 of the Texas Local Government Code.
I understand that Dickinson Economic Development Corporation has a little more than $2 million in savings (known as fund balance). If the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax is approved, what will happen to that amount?
Nothing will happen to any amounts that the Dickinson Economic Development Corporation has in its fund balance. The approval of the ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax will have no impact on the DEDC's current fund balance. Those funds will remain in the DEDC's account to be used on qualifying projects.
How much money will be generated by a ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax?
Based on the City's current sales tax revenues, a ¼ cent street maintenance sales tax is projected to generate approximately $500,000 each year that would be dedicated to the repair, maintenance and reconstructing of City streets in existence at the time of the election.
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