JACKSON, Miss. (AP) - Jackson voters have overwhelmingly approved a one percent sales tax in what city leaders hope will represent a turning point in their push to reverse decades of urban decay.
With 97 percent of the precincts reporting Tuesday evening, The Clarion-Ledger reports (https://on.thec-l.com/1kByvJR) some 90 percent of voters had voted in favor of the tax.
Mayor Chokwe Lumumba (SHOW-kway Lu-MOOM-bah) has said the city needs an estimated $1.2 billion to completely fix its infrastructure. He says raising sales tax by one percent will bring in at least $15 million a year until the tax expires in 20 years.
Lumumba said the local tax will not only improve infrastructure, but also create job opportunities, and increase public safety for an overall economic impact.
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Information from: The Clarion-Ledger, https://www.clarionledger.com
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