Ashland police chief on sales tax ballot issue

Ashland voters will be asked whether to approve a sales tax to better fund Ashland’s police department.

Police Chief Gabe Edwards says the town is struggling to keep the department fully funded.

“This is a really difficult thing to ask people for, and if we didn’t really need it, we wouldn’t be asking,” said Edwards on Wake Up Mid-Missouri.

The ballot issue would approve a one-percent tax increase, with the extra revenue split between the police and street departments. Ashland, like many communities, also has an additional marijuana sales tax on the ballot, which would be three percent. Election day is next Tuesday.