Crosby Sales Tax Increase | Video

Chris Williams | 9/11/2012

This November, people across the country will head to the polls. Residents in Crosby will a have a choice on their ballot that will affect them every time they go to the store. Crosby`s Park Board and St. Luke`s Hospital are each asking for a one percent sales tax increase, to create more money for their respective needs.

"If it goes through, half of it will dedicated to the wellness center. I guess I don`t think it should be done that way, but that`s my personal opinion. I`m not speaking for the city council, I`m speaking for me," said Mayor Les Bakken.

The park board has partnered with the Blue Line Club and would split the one percent. The goal is to replace the hockey building with a new health and wellness center.

"Really bring in some new programs and events, and utilize that facility and help them finish off that facility. Then do some extra things with that facility down the road. That`s what our angle is with that one percent sales tax," said Crosby Park District Director Bob Gillen.

If the park board does get their one percent sales tax increase, part of the money will go towards the Blue Line Club, but some of the money will also be used to update outdated playground equipment.

"We still have three parks that still have the old medal slides that I don`t think are even allowed in parks anymore that we need to replace. We`ve got old playground swings and equipment. We still have three parks they we need to get up to code," Gillen added.

St. Luke`s hospital is asking for the tax increase to help keep up with more patients in the ER.

"Our ER has went from 500 and something to 800, and now we`re projecting 1,200. It`s went up considerably. You have to have more staff, more doctors," said St. Luke`s Hospital Administrator Leslie Urvand.

With that many people using the ER, you might think more money would be coming in, but Urvand says that`s just not the case.

"We`ve got a lot of people that come in and go out, and we can`t find their addresses so we have a lot of bad debts."

Residents and businesses owners in Crosby stayed quiet about both measures. If they pass the sales tax would go from six percent up to eight percent.

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