SURREY – Unofficial election results show Surrey voters have approved an additional 1% city sales tax. The canvassing board meets to finalize results on June 23.

The unofficial tally from Tuesday’s election was 55-18. Adoption of a new sales tax requires an ordinance to be approved by the city council on two readings. An approved ordinance would be submitted to the State Tax Commission, which requires 90 days notice. The change then would become effective on the first day of the next calendar quarter.

A change would raise Surrey’s city sales tax to 3%. The current 2% tax generates roughly $150,000 a year for infrastructure improvements. The amount generated from an additional 1% tax would be dedicated to reducing the loan term on a sewer relining project, according to the city.

The City of Surrey received a $1.9 million Clean Water State Revolving Fund loan and $242,000 Drinking Water State Revolving Fund loan toward a water and sewer project, according to the North Dakota Department of Environmental Quality. The Clean Water funds will be used to reline the existing sewer mains and rehabilitate the manholes.The Drinking Water loan will help replace a water main that runs under the railroad tracks as a part of a city-wide sanitary sewer and road replacement project.

A sales tax increase would raise Surrey’s total sales tax to 8.5%, which includes the 5% state tax and half percent Ward County tax. Tioga is the only other city in North Dakota with an 8.5% sales tax rate. A number of cities are at 8%.

Cities currently with 3% city sales tax rates are Crosby, Edgeley, Hankinson, Hillsboro, LaMoure, Leeds, Lidgerwood, Northwood, Rolla, Turtle Lake and Wyndmere. Langdon will be at 3% as of July 1.