H’wick to vote on sales tax hike

Early voting by personal appearance begins Monday for four local governments, including the City of Howardwick, where citizens will decide raising that city’s sales tax rate to fund street maintenance.

Howardwick Mayor Del Essary is the only candidate on his city’s ballot – although incumbent Gene Rogers is a write-in candidate for one of two vacant seats on the board of aldermen – but the mayor hopes his citizens will turn out to the polls and vote for a quarter-cent sales tax to help fix up the streets.

“The tax won’t be enough for us to pave streets or top any streets, but it will help us maintain what we have,” Essary told the Enterprise. “I figure it will generate about $3,350 per year.”
Essary said he has only heard positive comments about the tax proposal from people in Howardwick, which would bring the total local and state sales tax in the city to 7.5 percent.

“People realize that it’s not going to be just us paying the tax, but then it’s not just us driving on the streets either,” the mayor said.

Texas cities can levy a maximum sales tax of two percent, but Howardwick only collects one percent right now. The law allows a city to levy one-quarter of one percent for maintenance of streets.

“It amounts to one penny for every $4 spent in our town,” Essary said. “It will certainly help us buy materials and maybe help with an annual payment on better machinery.”
Other local entities having elections this year are the City of Clarendon, Clarendon ISD, and the City of Hedley.

Clarendon Mayor Larry Hicks has filed to run for his office again, and three candidates are running for the two open aldermen’s positions – incumbent Janice Knorpp and former aldermen Tommy Hill and Terry Noble.

Clarendon ISD has three candidates for two trustees’ positions up this year. Incumbent Weldon Sears is seeking re-election, and Che Shadle and former board member Renee Betts are also candidates.

The City of Hedley has four candidates for its three alderman positions – incumbents Tonya Metcalf, Travis Ruthardt, and David Wells and challenger Michelle Copelin.

Positions on city boards of aldermen and the hospital board are two-year terms, and school board terms are for three years. All positions are elected at-large, but hospital board candidates must sign up for a specific place.

Howardwick and Hedley voters can cast ballots at their respective city halls. Ballots for the City of Clarendon and Clarendon ISD can be cast at the Donley County Clerk’s Office in the Courthouse Annex.

Early balloting continues through May 10. Election Day will be Saturday, May 14, 2011.