Starkville city leaders get to work on one percent tax resolution

STARKVILLE, Miss. (WCBI) – The one percent tax in Starkville passed with a resounding yes from citizens.

The new hotel and restaurant tax will take effect on August 1.

City officials said now that the campaign is over, the real work is just beginning.

“I’m ecstatic. I really am. I couldn’t be more excited. I really see it as such an opportunity for us,” said Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill.

Spruill has been working for months on the “Vote Yes for Starkville Parks” campaign, trying to spread awareness on what the tax will help do for the city.

“It means development. It means quality parks. It means recreation for our kids. It also means sports tourism which the city has thrived on very nicely,” said Spruill.

However, she won’t be celebrating the victory for long.

In fact, she’s already planning the next move.

“The real work now begins. The campaign was a concentrated timeline of work to try and make sure everyone understood what they were voting on and felt good about it. Now, we’ve got to make it a reality,” said Spruill.

That reality includes a lot of paperwork.

“The one percent tax will be approved by the Mayor and the Board of Aldermen Tuesday night by a resolution based on the preferences by the citizens of Starkville. The one percent resolution I will certify them and send to the department of revenue and to the secretary of state. The department of revenue will notify the businesses of the additional one percent that will go on August 1,” said Starkville City Clerk Lesa Hardin.

After the collection of the new tax, the Starkville Parks project can officially begin.

“I have already planned setting up work sessions with the board. I’ve been in contact with Dalhoff Thomas who are the ones who did the master plans in the first place to see if we can set up a phone conference next week, then find some time when they can come to town and we can sit down and spend some time going over possibilities, projects, you know, how we proceed. I’m hoping that we can throw out the first pitch within two years, so you can see what we’re talking about. It’s not going to be a quick turn. It’s going to be a long and important and deliberate process,” said Spruill.

The new tax passed with 74% of the vote.