Barbour approves Jackson sales tax

The Clarion-Ledger, 3/11/9

Gov. Haley Barbour on Wednesday approved a bill that will allow Jackson voters to decide on a 1 percent sales tax that would fund road repairs and additional police officers and firefighters.

Barbour also approved legislation that provides $25 million to Alliant Techsystems Inc., or ATK, an Iuka plant that will add about 625 workers by 2017.

If approved by voters, the sales tax would expire in five years. Earlier Wednesday, the governor’s press secretary, Dan Turner, said Barbour was leaning toward vetoing Senate Bill 3268 but “changed his mind after some discussion with the lawmakers.”