Early voting began today in the city of Elkins. A new sales tax would help fund a $2.3 million baseball facility.
"We don't have any home fields, so we are in pretty bad need of some now," said Jason Justus, an active supporter of the proposal.
A committee in Elkins is pushing for a new baseball and softball facility.
"Everything is kind of spreading out. and we aren't keeping our kids here." Justus said.
The plan would replace the old facilities in Elkins, which were torn down to build the new Elkins High School.
Some say this will help the local economy
"It’s not just for the kids, it's for the businesses, for the city they get more tax revenue," Justus said. "They’ll buy gas, they'll stop in to eat, stuff like that. So, it's a draw for the whole community."
Others in Elkins say they don’t believe in the proposal.
"They’re wanting to get more tax dollars from us,” said. Gary Lawson, a resident of Elkins. “Right now is not the time to get tax dollars. Right now is time to give back a little bit to the people who have given all these years. Times aren't good.”
Some say the city should just use the fields at the new high school, which was also paid for by taxpayer dollars.
"I think that the money could be really used elsewhere. there's lots of people who are out of work,” Lawson said.
If approved by voters in the special election, the tax would add 15 cents to every 20 dollars spent.
A location for the proposed fields has not yet been picked out.