The Franklin County Board of Commissioners unanimously passed a resolution to make a temporary quarter-cent sales tax permanent.

In 2013, the commissioners adopted a quarter-percent sales tax to be collected for a five-year period. That period was originally supposed to end December 31, 2018.

The sales tax increase allowed the county to pay cash for the first phase of a new jail and give money to social programs throughout Franklin County.

Commissioner John O鈥橤rady said the board recognizes it is reneging on a promise it made to the public five years ago.

鈥淢y father taught me years ago as a child, you don鈥檛 break a commitment. But, you know, we didn鈥檛 have a crystal ball back then,鈥� O鈥橤rady said. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 know that when we entered into this commitment, our partners, and I believe in working very closely with partners. We didn鈥檛 know that our partners in federal government, our partners in state government were going to break their commitments to us.鈥�

O鈥橤rady said cuts from federal and state government to local government has left the board with no other choice.

Columbus resident Michael Vincent used the public hearing to express concern about money being used to fund the jail project in Franklin County.

"I鈥檓 opposed to the expansion of the jail, because you鈥檙e talking about taking steps to reform the jail and provide necessary services, but you haven鈥檛 taken the steps to ensure human rights abuses have not been committed," Vincent said.

Recently, the called for an investigation into criminal charges against officials at the Franklin County jail, after found incidents of tasers being used to torture inmates.

Franklin County Libertarians Committee Chairman Harold Thomas said it鈥檚 unfair of the board to make the tax permanent without taking the issue to voters.

鈥淵ou may put the sales tax on the ballot for a 5-year renewal," Thomas said. "At least this way, you will keep faith with the taxpayers by giving us the opportunity to decide how our money is to be spent."

Voters can fight the commission鈥檚 decision through referendum. That would require almost 30,000 signatures collected from county voters within 45 days.