FAIRHOPE, Ala. — Just before 3 p.m., Thursday, Mayor Tim Kant hand-delivered a letter to the City Clerk vetoing the 2 percent sales tax passed by the City Council Monday night.

In his letter, Kant described some of the financial problems facing the city and said, "Make no mistake the easy way out would be to enact a sales tax which some want to do."

The council passed the sales tax by a 3-2 vote at its regular meeting. The mayor, on vacation, was not at that meeting.

"However," he continued, "if we become dependent on sales tax revenue, it will fuel massive retail growth which will detract from our core downtown business district. In short, the more money we give government, the more money government will spend."

For the City Council to override this veto, a 4-1 vote will be required.

For the full story, see Saturday's edition of the Fairhope Courier.