YMCA Director Urges Support For Half-Cent Sales Extension [AUDIO, POLL]

ST. CLOUD - Voters in the six-city St. Cloud metro area will be asked to extend the half-cent sales tax Tuesday, during the Election 2014.

If it passes in all of the cities, $4 million of the money collected will go toward the planned Aquatic and Community Center. YMCA Executive Director Greg Gack says that money is important for them to meet their fundraising goal.

Gack says those are important dollars to help get the project off the ground.

The current half-cent sales tax has already generated $10 million for the project.

If the half-cent sales tax question passes, beside the Aquatic Center, another $10 million would go to regional park projects, and $4 million would be earmarked for expansion of the St. Cloud Regional Airport. The total amount expected to be collected during the 20-year life of the tax is about $291 million. Each individual city would be allowed to spend their portion of the money, minus the $18 million required for regional projects.