Mayor Fischer has been an outspoken proponent of a local sales tax option for the city. At the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce's annual meeting in July, he explained: Let’s say we want a new forensic crime lab in Louisville, costs $35 million dollars, could be public transportation, could be schools—but again they’re optional. So in other words the voters of your city, the voters of your county get to vote yes or no.But not everyone is convinced it's for the best. Opponents say it would hurt consumers, and many say it will never pass. In 2007, Louisville voters rejected such a tax referendum to pay for an expansion of the Louisville Free Public Library by a 2-to-1 margin.Friday on Byline, we talked about the pros and cons of a local sales tax option. We were joined by State Representative Steve Riggs, Greater Louisville, Inc. Spokesperson Carmen Hickerson, and Phillip M. Bailey, who is covering the story for WFPL.
