Killington revokes local option tax

Rutland Herald | March 08, 2017

By GORDON DRITSCHILO

STAFF WRITER

KILLINGTON — The local option tax was rescinded by nine votes Tuesday.

The ballot measure rescinding the 1 percent sales tax was approved 203-194.

Voters also approved the $ 4 million general fund budget ( 270- 116) and all other monetary items on the ballot, as well as a proposed school district merger with the other towns that send students to Woodstock Union High School. The merger vote was 233-88.

The only item on the ballot to fail was to end Australian ballot voting and return to floor meetings. Voters rejected that 305-96.

Adopted in 2008, the local option tax brought in $463,969 last year — money traditionally used for economic development and to pay off the debt on the golf course.

Select Board Chairwoman Patty McGrath said the proposal grew out of a request from Killington Ski Resort for the town to kick in $ 100,000 for the Audi FIS Ski World Cup. She said Selectman Jim Haff suggested just dropping the sales tax and letting the resort use the money it would save. Selectman Chris Bianchi suggested putting the $100,000 in the budget and putting an item on the ballot that would repeal the tax in a year’s time.

“ That would give the town an opportunity to be able to work the budget out in an appropriate manner,” she said in an interview last week.

McGrath said the resort and Killington-Pico Area Association would take on responsibility for marketing and special events, which the town spends about $265,000 on each year, but there would still be a revenue shortfall of $100,000 to $150,000 that would have to be made up in property taxes.

“ A lot of people are complaining that the town should not be in events and marketing,” she said.

The town converted to Australian ballot in 2011. McGrath said average voter turnout has roughly doubled since then.

gordon.dritschilo @rutlandherald.com