The Dallas County Commission approved an ordinance imposing half percent additional sales tax in Dallas County for public schools at Monday night’s meeting.

The sales tax increase will be effective July 1, raising the tax from 9.5 percent to 10 percent.

Commissioners Valerie Reubin and Curtis Williams approved the motion to pass the ordinance while Commissioners Roy Moore and Larry Nickles opposed the measure.

“I think all of this has been gone about in the wrong way,” said Moore. “This is just a patch, not a repair…In a year or two we’re going to be right back here with the same problem.”

Nickles was in agreement with Moore, stating his belief that the tax wouldn’t help Dallas County Schools long term.

“If we pass this, this simple amount of money, will it change anything?” said Nickles.

Commissioner Curtis Williams was enthusiastic about the approval of the ordinance.

Williams read letters from both Selma City School Board President Johnny Moss and Dallas County School Board President Leroy Miles, Jr.

The letters from both school systems urged the commission to vote in favor of the ordinance.

“If Selma City Schools and Dallas County Schools can agree, then we ought to agree up here,” said Williams. “Show them unity. Even if we don’t make it let us try.”

County Commission Chairman Judge Jimmy Nunn broke the tie, approving the motion to pass the ordinance.

Nunn said that he spoke with both Selma City and Dallas County Schools before Monday’s meeting and learned that if the ordinance was not approved then each school system would lose roughly $1 million dollars.

“That’s what we’re looking at,” said Nunn. “That’s a lot of money to be snatching away from the school system.”

According to Dallas County Schools Superintendent Hattie Shelton, the approval of the ordinance could mean that Salem Elementary and Bruce K. Craig will not have to close.

While nothing is certain, Shelton said that the issue would be discussed at the next Dallas County School Board Meeting on May 14.