Whenever someone buys a pair of shoes, a computer or a restaurant meal in Fort Dodge starting today, they'll be parting with a bit more money to support schools across Iowa.
That's because a new statewide sales tax went into effect at midnight.
That raised the sales tax rate in Webster County to 6.5 cents on the dollar.
Now the sales tax includes 5 cents to the state, 1 cent to the pool of money that will fund school building improvements all over Iowa, and a half cent to local cities.
Previously, the sales tax collected in Webster County was 6 cents on the dollar. That total included 5 cents to the state, a half cent to local schools and a half cent to the cities.
The new statewide 1 cent tax replaces the half cent once levied for schools.
''For all practical purposes that goes away and the state collects the one cent school infrastructure tax,'' said Webster County Auditor Carol Messerly.
The new state tax for schools was approved by the Iowa Legislature earlier this year and was signed into law by Gov. Chet Culver. State Rep. David Tjepkes, R-Gowrie, was a co-sponsor of the proposal.
A local option sales tax for schools had been approved in all 99 counties. Backers of the new state levy wanted it to ensure equity between urban districts flush with sales tax revenue and rural ones that are home to few stores and thus have little sales tax revenue.
In Webster County, the half cent tax for schools was to expire June 30, 2009.
Under the new system, school districts are guaranteed to receive as much as they were getting with their former local option tax, according to Victoria Daniels, legislative liaison for the Iowa Department of Revenue.
She said the Fort Dodge Community School District received $575 per pupil from its local option sales tax. The district will be assured of getting at least that much under the new system, she said.
Daniels said the district's share of the new sales tax revenue is projected to swell to $731 per pupil in 2011.
Contact Bill Shea at (515) 573-2141 or bshea@messengernews.net