Ames residents will have the opportunity to vote on the proposed local-option sales tax Tuesday.

If passed, the tax will support a new middle school in Ames, said John Hascall, vice president of the school board.

The local-option sales tax would be an additional one-cent sales tax to pay for school buildings and property tax relief. Anyone who bought certain goods in Ames would pay the tax.

“Hopefully the tax will pass, but I don’t have a crystal ball,” Hascall said. “It’s the best way to pay for a new middle school.”

If the local-option tax isn’t passed, a property tax may be proposed, Hascall said. If a property tax is passed, Ames residents would be the only people paying the tax. Since fewer people own property in Ames than spend money in Ames, each person paying the tax would pay a larger portion of the school’s bill.

Art Dixon, former school board candidate, said passing the tax would be more beneficial than harmful.

“The repercussions of not passing could far outweigh the benefits. To me, people don’t want another tax, but if we don’t pass this tax, then the school district will be forced to go to a bond issue to pay for the middle school,” Dixon said.

However, some people disagree with the need for a new middle school, said Milan Dalal, former school board candidate and ISU student.

“I’m not sure if it will pass. I do know Ames voters have rejected bonds twice in the past and for good reasons,” Dalal said. “The reasons we’re rejecting them is really because they’re unwarranted expenditures.”

Dalal, junior in political science, said people want to use some of the tax money for a proposed joint indoor swimming pool facility, costing $5 million.

“The city doesn’t need [another pool]. We currently have a good one at the high school,” Dalal said.

Also, Dalal said the increase would affect ISU students when buying things such as textbooks.

“I don’t think the [middle] school is serving the community well,” Dalal said.

If not passed, Dixon said the tax would hurt students because a property tax would mean increased rent.

“People that will feel the full brunt if the local-option sales tax fails are businesses and rental properties, which will affect ISU students,” Dixon said. “[Students] need to voice their opinion because this affects them — students are a large part of this community.”

Hascall said the polls will be open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. all over town. ISU students can vote at Friley and Maple-Willow-Larch.