A vehicle registration wheel tax and surtax did not pass during the Kosciusko County Council meeting Thursday because of a lone dissenting vote. According to The Times Union, Council member Jon Fussle was the only vote against the tax, which is expected to gather $65 yearly from each vehicle owner who renews or applies for registration. The tax was proposed as a source of funding for the county highway department and an effort to prevent a projected budget deficit in the millions by 2016. The new tax could only be approved by either a unanimous vote or two majority votes. Council will meet June 19th at 7 p.m. to vote again, a meeting set ahead of time in case the vote failed Thursday. The tax would need to be passed before the end of the month to begin collecting money next year. Further explaining his no vote, Fussle said he considered the issue rushed and expressed doubt over the deficit projection from Umbaugh and Associates.
