Mercer County kills sales tax measure... again.

This is just sad.

For the second straight year, Mercer County voters have rejected a proposed sales tax proponents said who save county employees' jobs.

The 1 percent sales tax would have applied to purchases of clothing, appliances, fuel, novelty items and restaurant meals within the county. Currently, Mercer County and Aledo have a combined sales tax rate of 6 1/4 percent.

Proceeds, which were estimated to reach $500,000 annually, would have been used to help fund the county sheriff's department and preserve jobs at the courthouse and sheriff's department, proponents said.

The measure was defeated 2,206 to 2,097 Tuesday, according to final, unofficial results.

A similar measure was defeated last spring by a nearly two to one margin.

I posted on this story a couple days ago here.