St. Charles County to participate in sales tax holiday
County Council President Dan Foust, R-District 6, pulled a bill from Monday's meeting agenda that would have allowed the county to opt out of participating in the tax holiday after the bill failed to get much support from other members of the council.
"I pick and choose the battles I'll fight," he said. "There was no desire to do it. Basically, everybody felt the same way."Foust initially proposed opting out as a way to bring in more money for the county in a time when county employees, including sheriff's deputies, have asked for higher raises. Foust said the county loses about $210,000 during the sales tax holiday.
"I still contend that it makes no sense," he said. "We just went through this big budget crisis and, ironically, two of the biggest dissenters on that ... both of those guys yelled and screamed they'd just as soon get rid of social programs we have than get rid of the sales tax holiday."
Paul Wynn, R-District 4, and Joe Brazil, R-District 2, both said they thought taxpayers could use a break.
"I was thinking about this all day," Wynn said. "It's 'of the people, by the people, for the people.' It's not 'for the government.'"
Municipalities have until mid-June to decide whether to opt out of the sales tax holiday. Several cities are reconsidering whether they will participate as the state Legislature considers adding two more tax holidays to this year's calendar.
Also during the meeting, the County Council thanked former member Joe McCulloch, who resigned April 1. McCulloch had served on the council for three years. Voters will select someone to fill the open seat in the Aug. 5 election.
