The commissioners are split on a proposed sales tax that would increase the current 7.5 percent tax one-quarter percentage point.
Commissioners Jimmy Dimora and Tim Hagan favor the increase, but Commissioner Peter Lawson Jones is concerned they haven't explored other ways to finance a new complex such as increasing the hotel and bed tax. He says to implement an increase now is bad timing.
Peter Lawson Jones: The timing concern that I have is that we don't have a deal yet with medical market. We couldn't explain to the public all the details of the arrangement because those details have not been sorted out at this point.
The tax would raise $42 million a year and could take effect Oct. 1, unless voters launch a successful drive to block it with a public vote.
The commissioners will hold two public hearings, on July 19 and July 26, before determining whether to go ahead with the added tax. Tasha Flournoy, 90.3.