The DeKalb County Commission Monday night adopted a resolution calling for a referendum seeking authorization from the people of DeKalb County to increase the local option sales tax in DeKalb County from the current rate of 1.5% to the maximum of 2.75%.
The question, as recommended by the county budget committee, will be put before the voters of DeKalb County on the August 3rd General Election ballot.
County Mayor Mike Foster says under a 1967 agreement that still exists between the county and the city governments of Smithville, Alexandria, Liberty, and Dowelltown, a majority of the local option sales tax revenues that are generated help fund the school system. “If agreeable to the cities and the school board, this additional money, would go to the local purpose fund to finance school debt service and operations. It is projected to raise approximately $850,000 in additional sales taxes. Part of this money would go to the cities, but if they continue the current agreement, they would be contributing to the local purpose fund up to 66% of the new revenue to schools”.
Of the 95 Tennessee Counties, 33 have a local option sales tax rate of 2.75%, 39 have a rate of 2.25%, six counties have a rate of 2% and 14 counties have a rate of 2.50%. Cannon County’s rate is 1.75%. Only DeKalb and Johnson County have a local option sales tax rate of 1.5%.
Foster says by increasing the rate, the county government would be in a better position financially, should the state government decide to keep a portion of the local option sales tax revenue, as is being considered.; and he says, more sales tax revenue could keep the county from having to enact drastic increases in property tax rates in the future.
Proponents of the increase also argue that consumers, whether they realize it or not, are already paying more sales taxes when they shop in other counties, where the rates are higher and tax money spent in those counties goes to fund their local governments and schools.
The overall sales tax rate in DeKalb County is 8.5%, including 7% state and 1.5% local.
If approved, the new rate for DeKalb County would be 9.75%, including 7% state and 2.75% local.

Four people were sentenced in DeKalb County Criminal Court on Monday after entering pleas to charges against them in negotiated settlements.
44 year old Kenny Ray Herman pleaded guilty to two charges of sale of a schedule II controlled substance and three charges of sale of a schedule III controlled substance.
Judge Lillie Ann Sells sentenced him to a total of six years. He will serve one year in the county jail and then be on probation for the remainder of the term in community corrections. The sentence is to run consecutively to another case against him.
Herman was fined $2,000 and must make restitution of $585 to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department/TBI.
He was given credit for 150 days of jail time served.
25 year old Misty Dawn Barnes Hesson pleaded guilty to three counts of casual exchange and received a suspended sentence of 11 months and 29 days in each case to run consecutively with each other and consecutive to a General Sessions Court case against her. Hesson was fined a total of $750 and must make restitution of $295.
50 year old Jeana Annette Hesson pleaded guilty to sale of a schedule II controlled substance and received a four year sentence, all suspended to probation. She was fined $2,000 and must make restitution of $300 to the DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department. Hesson must also undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and perform 100 hours of community service.
Billie Green Sullivan, charged with two counts of sale and delivery of a schedule III controlled substance, was granted pre-trial diversion for a period of two years. She must undergo an alcohol and drug assessment and perform 100 hours of community service.
Monday was also arraignment day for those indicted by the Grand Jury earlier this month.
Most of those defendants will be back in court on June 2nd .

The DeKalb County Sheriff’s Department and the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation are probing the fatal shooting of a Smithville man in Dowelltown Sunday evening.
Dead is 29 year old David Crook of New Home Road, Smithville.
Crook, the driver of an SUV, was found slumped over in the vehicle on East Main Street in Dowelltown, having suffered a gunshot wound to the head by a 40 caliber handgun.
The man who had been in the vehicle with him, Greg Patton of Smithville, apparently told authorities that Crook had been distraught and suicidal.
Sheriff Lloyd Emmons says a thorough investigation is being conducted but preliminary indications are that this may have been a self-inflicted shooting.
According to Sheriff Emmons, Crook and Patton had spent the weekend in Bowling Green Kentucky, where they attended a flea market, and had stopped off at the residence of Crook’s sister on Circle Drive in Dowelltown on the way back home.
Sheriff Emmons says after the visit to the Dowelltown residence, the two men got back in the SUV and drove away. He says Crook, who was driving, pulled over on East Main Street where the shooting occurred.
After the shooting, Patton ran to a nearby residence to call 911. He then ran back to the SUV.. A motorist, who came upon the scene, saw Patton taking some things from the vehicle and then flee on foot.
Law enforcement officers conducted a ground and aerial search for Patton and he was spotted from a helicopter about a half mile from where the shooting occurred. He surrendered without incident.
Sheriff Emmons says Patton remains in custody pending a further investigation by the Sheriff’s Department and TBI. Among the officers involved at the scene Sunday evening were Sheriff Emmons, Chief Deputy Milton Bowling, County Deputies Andy Snow and Jon Slager, Reserve Deputies Dustin Johnson and David Sharp who brought in a K-9, TBI Special Agent Billy Miller, and Troopers Charles Caplinger and Allen England from the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
An autopsy will be performed on Crook’s body.

Two people were killed in a one car crash Saturday on Interstate 40 in Smith County.
Dead are 59 year old Everett Charles (Chuck) South, Sr. and his wife 51 year old Dorothy South of 148 Cleveland Way, Smithville.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol reports that the two were traveling east on I-40 in a 1999 Jeep Cherokee when the vehicle ran off the left side of the road into the median and struck a large boulder head-on.
The accident occurred around 12:52 a.m. near the 264 mile marker.

Three people were injured in a two car crash Friday afternoon on Highway 70 in Liberty and another person was hurt in a separate accident Friday morning on Highway 70 near Sligo Bridge.
Trooper Allen England of the Tennessee Highway Patrol says 19 year old Kristy L. Grandstaff of 120 Lavergne Street, Alexandria and 19 year old David M. Branner of Nashville were airlifted from the scene in Liberty by Life Flight helicopter ambulance and flown to Vanderbilt University Medical Center.
26 year old Joseph B. Trapp of Allen Ferry Road, Smithville was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Hospital where he was treated and released.
Trooper England says Grandstaff, the apparent driver of a 1995 Toyota Tercel, was attempting to make a left turn from Bratten Street onto Highway 70 when she pulled into the path of a 1996 Toyota Avalon, driven by Trapp, who was east on Highway 70.
Branner was a passenger of the Grandstaff vehicle.
The accident remains under investigation by the Tennessee Highway Patrol.
Meanwhile, 64 year old Barbara Dean Goodwin of Young Ridge Road, Sparta, was injured in a one vehicle accident Friday morning on Highway 70 near Sligo Bridge.
Trooper England says Goodwin was west on Highway 70 in a 2002 Toyota Sierra minivan when she failed to maintain the lane of travel, went off the road, crossed a ditch, hit an embankment, and overturned.
Goodwin was taken by DeKalb EMS to DeKalb Hospital where she was treated and released.

The Tennessee Highway Patrol will be conducting driver license roadside safety checkpoints during the week of May 21, 2006 on State Routes 53, 56, 83, 96, and 146 in DeKalb County.
Recognizing the danger presented to the public by unqualified drivers, Troopers will concentrate their efforts on vehicles being operated by drivers who would violate the driver license laws of Tennessee.
The Tennessee Highway Patrol has found these driver license roadside safety checkpoints to be an effective means of enforcing driver license laws of Tennessee while ensuring the protection of all Motorists.