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(NewsDakota.com) – The Stutsman County Commission considered placing a half-cent sales tax initiative on the November ballot, but did not approve it during Tuesday’s commission meeting.

The proposed half-cent sales tax would have been used to fund road repairs in Stutsman County. The proposal died after a 2-2 vote by the commission. Dale Marks and Dave Schwartz voted to put the half-cent sales tax proposal on the November ballot, which would have put it up to a vote of county residents. Commissioners Mark Klose and Dennis Ova voted against putting it on the ballot. Commissioner Craig Neys was absent.

The county has had similar initiatives on the ballot before, but they have not been approved by voters.

The half-cent sales tax was introduced by Marks as an addition to the meeting’s agenda. It was estimated the tax would raise about $1.1 million annually for road repairs and maintenance in the county. Marks had been working with the Roads Task Force which was established by the Jamestown Local and Regional Issues Committee to educate the public on the roads in Stutsman County and look for ways to improve those roads.

Pam Phillips is chair of that committee and says the task force has basically reached a stone wall.

County auditor Casey Bradley says for the initiative to be on the November ballot, it would have had to be approved by Friday, Sept. 7.