Story County voters passed a local-option sales tax Tuesday night, pending review by the Board of Canvassers.

That means, beginning July 1, 2003, a one-cent tax will be added to several items. The tax will pay for the construction of a new middle school and last 10 years, said John Hascall, vice president of the Ames School Board.

“This is the official unofficial result until after the canvass,” said Mary Mosiman, Story County auditor and commissioner of elections. Official results will be announced next Tuesday.

Turnout of registered voters was 20.1 percent, which Mosiman said was “right on the mark”. A majority of 56.4 percent voted to pass the tax, Mosiman said. Polls were open from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

Mosiman said voter turnout on-campus was generally not high. Only seven votes were cast at Friley Hall., but Frederiksen Court recorded 147 votes.

Sales tax revenue will be allocated proportionally among all Story County school districts, according to enrollment in each. Ames will received the most money because it educates 44 percent of students in the county, Hascall said.

Milan Dalal, junior in political science and former school board candidate, said he is disappointed the tax was passed. “I don’t think that it’s the right thing to do,” he said.

Dalal said alternatives to a sales tax have not been thoroughly examined.

“They don’t have a plan,” he said. “They just want to go out and spend money without thinking this through.”

Hascall said he is glad and the next step is to figure out the grade configuration for the new middle school. The school board is undecided whether it will house grades six through eight or grades seven and eight.

Hascall said he has no preference on the issue and wants to hear what the public has to say.