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New county tax goes into effect Saturday

Shoppers across Escambia County will begin paying an extra penny on their purchases when the county’s new sales tax goes into effect on Saturday, July 1.

Officials of the cash-strapped county are projecting that the new levy will bring in “around $2.7 million” a year in new revenue.

County Commission Chairman Raymond Wiggins said Tuesday that commissioners and administrators are crossing their fingers that the one-cent levy will generate at least enough money to cover the county’s recent budgetary shortfalls.

“We’re just hoping and praying that the tax will get us back to where we need to be, as far as our budget,” Wiggins said. “Without it, we will have to cut services or manpower. We did the math, and $2.7 million is what we came up with. I’m not sure we’ll get to that, but I feel like it will bring in more than $2 million.”