Rutland City’s new local 1% option tax is off to a strong start.
It raised $423,000 in the quarter ending in October, Treasurer Mary Markowskitold the Board of Aldermen Monday, Dec. 4.
The tax, which raises revenue for the city through an adding 1% to the state’s 6% sales tax, went into effect July 1 after voters approved a charter change in March, 1,729 to 1,216.
Most of the money is going to the capital reserve fund to pay for future infrastructure needs, while $75,000 is going to pay the pension deficit.
Markowski asked the board for guidance on future use of the funds. She anticipated some money would go toward paving in July.
“Those are the things I feel like we need to be considering, “Markowski said
Markowski said she had not yet verified if all that money was going to Rutland City.
Rutland Town, which also has an option tax, shares a zip code with some city residents, creating confusion for people who shop online, where the tax is automatically applied based on zip codes.
Former City Clerk Henry Heck also attended the meeting to speak about his petition to change the clerk position from appointed to elected.
Heck, who was not reappointed to by new Mayor Mike Doenges earlier this year after just over 14 years in his role, clarified to board members that he would not be seeking reeleciton to the position and stood nothing to gain from the potential change.
Heck said he would not be putting his name on the ballot.
“It’s a job I will never hold again,” he said.
