CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — Nueces County Commissioners are asking the County Attorney to give them all legal options to collect both one-eighth cent sales tax measures the city has been getting for decades.
The two taxes would bring in around $250 million over 25 years.
"My concerns are streets and drainage," Commissioner Brent Chesney said. "Those are the big two that I hear of everywhere I go. Our streets are terrible, our drainage is terrible. I would really like to look at using it for that."
County Commissioner John Marez believes the county could use part of the sales tax to build a new $100 million jail.
"It would be enough to help capture a majority of the cost because if not you're talking about a bond specifically going on, and when you talk bond work that's where the taxpayers feel it" Marez said.
City council held a workshop on the one-eighth cent sales tax issue and before that meeting began, 3NEWS asked several council members what they thought about the county commissioners plans.
"I think maybe before we get to that point maybe we can work with the county to come up with some sort of an agreement about how we go forward." Councilman Mike Pusley said.
"I would like to hear more directly from them," Councilman Michael Hunter said. "I'd be willing to discuss opportunities that would be beneficial to everyone."
The only reason this is an option is because of Prop A's defeat last fall.
Former councilman David Loeb who helped defeat Prop A said both the city and county need to listen to voters.
"I think they need to spend the time over the summer listening to what people want to see and if they put that on the ballot then I think it has a good chance of passing," Loeb said.