Upstate city governments approved resolutions, chambers of commerce threw its support behind the sales tax, and a well-funded public relations campaign wasn’t enough to persuade voters this was the best plan to improve the county’s roads.
More than $673 million was expected to be raised through the tax that was capped to last eight years or less. A citizens committee conducted community meetings to set up a list of transportation projects.
Perhaps any support for the sales tax began to fizzle when reports surfaced that groceries would have been subject to the tax. Opposing sides also disagreed whether County Council could spend the sales tax anyway it wanted.