By BECKY KISER
Hays Post

Ellis residents voted Tuesday to continue the town’s one-cent sales tax for another 10 years.

City Clerk Amy Burton said Wednesday morning the unofficial vote tally was 316 in favor and 16 opposed. The voter turnout was about 23 percent, estimated Ellis County Clerk Donna Maskus.

The tax will be used exclusively to help pay off the debt service of the 20 year bond for improvements to the Ellis water plant.

“By state law, the sales tax can be effective for a maximum of 10 years,” Burton explained. “This will be the second 10 years of the tax, which was to expire in October, to match the timing of the bond approved in 2006.”

April 5 was the final spring local election day in Kansas.  The state law moving local elections from April to November of odd-numbered years goes into effect Jan. 1, 2017.