Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

New 1/2 Cent Tax Effective In City

As the new year begins, merchants in Gurdon need to remember and adjust the amount of tax they charge their customers.

In November 1997, voters in Gurdon cast their ballots in favor of a + cent sales tax. The money generated from the tax is to be used for animal control, an emergency warning siren system and to help the Gurdon Police Department.

Tambra Smith, city recorder/treasurer, said, merchants were required to add this + cent to their tax collections as of Jan. 1, 1998, when it officially went into effect.

Merchants in Gurdon, she said, need to be charging a total of 7.625 percent sales taxes on the goods they sell to the public.

Smith also urged Gurdon residents to shop locally as often as possible because the tax money raised inside the city limits is used to provide city services.

These services include the GPD, Gurdon Street Department, the city parks and street lights, to name a few.

The issue of a sales tax was brought up during 1997 by the Gurdon City Council, with members working to find a solution to some of the city's financial problems, as well as the headache caused by dogs running loose.

The solution they arrived at was a + cent sales tax. This, research showed, would generate $69,000 annually, which would fund all three items.

Once an animal control system is in place and the sirens have been purchased, mounted and paid for, there will be little expense in these two areas. However, expenses for the GPD will continue to rise with the inflated prices of vehicles, fuel, oil, tires and salaries to be considered.

Voters, on Nov. 18, showed their support for the tax as it passed by 14 votes, 165-151.

While the merchants will be required to collect the taxes now, the city will not receive any of the revenue generated from them until April, as the state pays on a quarterly basis.