Dare County commissioners put quarter-cent sales tax referendum on November ballot to fund parks and recreation

The Dare County Board of Commissioners voted unanimously on Feb. 12 to place a quarter-cent sales-tax referendum on the November general election ballot to fund an expansive parks-and-recreation capital plan.

County staff told the board the tax would generate roughly $6 million a year and allow the county to borrow to finance more than $50 million in improvements the consultants recommended, including synthetic turf fields, indoor facility expansions at Westcott Park and the Northern Beaches, playground upgrades with ADA access, splash pads, security lighting and land-banking for future needs. Staff estimated that roughly 70% of the revenue would be paid by visitors and that the average household impact would be about $12 to $14 per year.

Justin Bateman, chair of the county's Parks and Recreation Advisory Council, told commissioners the council unanimously backs the referendum and described how the money would expand programs and address current capacity limits in recreation scheduling.

Commissioners discussed trade-offs. Some members said the referendum is the fastest practical way to fund the plan without increasing ad valorem taxes; others urged caution about rising costs and competing staffing needs in other county departments. Concerns about turf safety and injury rates were raised during the debate; commissioners said the board would review safety research and design standards if turf projects proceed.

Commissioner Balance moved to place the referendum on the ballot; Commissioner Bateman seconded. The motion carried unanimously. If voters approve the quarter-cent tax in November, staff said the proceeds would be dedicated to the capital program and debt service tied to the plan. The county will provide factual information to the public about what the referendum would fund and which purchases would be exempt from the tax, but county staff emphasized that state law limits how the county may promote the ballot question.

The board directed staff to continue refining project scopes, to provide outreach material to help residents understand the proposal, and to coordinate timing with the board of elections.