Would you pay a sales tax to support school maintenance?
It's a question nine school districts in Henry County, Illinois are looking at putting on the April ballot.
One cent on every dollar, but not on everything people can buy.
The one percent sales tax would apply to gasoline, restaurant food, and paper towels.
Things people buy all the time that are relatively inexpensive.
Cars, farm equipment, and groceries would be exempt from the tax.
It would make anyone buying things in Henry County a supporter of the various school districts, even if they don't live there.
Those who do live there have mixed feelings about the choice.
"They're very up to date I think, since we got the new junior high," says 20 year Henry County resident Janet Zobrist. She thinks highly of the school systems here. Yet, she just can't support a new tax.
"The way the country is right now, I think it would be very stressful for most of the citizens, so I probably wouldn't go for it."
She says the economy still needs to improve before taxpayers should be asked to pay more when they shop.
"People back to work, that's the big thing," says Zobrist.
"It spreads it out over the whole county, not on the property owners, it's a good deal, the schools can use it, the way the state funds things," says Chuck Ullrick.
He'd vote yes on the tax. He believes it would help increase the investment the schools make in his family. Which is now in it's fifth generation here.
"The schools have held up very well, they just invested in geothermal heating and air conditioning for the last schools here, that's a very wise investment," says Ullrick.
Salon owner Kelli DeCap says, "I think we need to use different resources, for that income that they need to make improvements on."
She believes the school districts should ask for donations rather than a tax. She points to Geneseo's athletic facility. Donations paid for it.
"We have a great community here, that's very supportive, and everything that they've needed, they've went together, and put that into action," says DeCap.
Opinions as varied as the school kids these districts educate.
Three of nine districts have already voted to put the sales tax question on the ballot.
The rest are expected to look at it this month.
If voters approve the tax in April, the money collected would be distributed among districts based on student enrollment.
