Supporters of the use tax on the ballot in Saint Joseph and Buchanan County say it’ll pay for important services like police, fire, and street repair. Bob Slater of Citizens for Equity rejects a claim by opponent Kenneth Reeder that the money will go into a slush fund. He says the money will be spent by city and county officials accountable to the voters.

Supporters say the use tax would generate about $3-million a year, keep more money in the community, and help the city and county grow. It will not add to the local sales tax on any purchase and would only apply to out of state purchases where no sales tax is currently collected.