ANDERSON — County officials are looking for public input on the possible implementation of a wheel tax.

The Madison County Council will hold a public information session at 1 p.m. May 22 at the Geater Center to hear how Madison County residents feel about bringing back the wheel tax, or an annual added tax on license plates.

The tax is needed because the county has no money to fix roads, said John Bostic Jr., D-District 3 and council president.

“In 2009, we have zero dollars budgeted to fix county roads,” he said.

The county highway budget will be $218,386 in debt by the end of the year, said Bill Savage, D-District 1.

The $22 to $25 addition to the license plate fee will bring $1.5 million to the county to repair roads, Bostic said.

On May 27, during a special meeting at the Madison County Government Center, the council will have an official public hearing and a first reading on the issue.

In 2005, the council voted against instituting a wheel tax. The proposal, which would have placed a $25 tax on passenger cars, motorcycles and pickup trucks, would have generated more than $2 million for road repairs. Fees on trailers, recreational vehicles, heavy duty trucks, tractors and semitrailers would have ranged from $10 to $40.

Dan Dykes, who was president at the time, cast the only favorable vote of the six who voted.

The tax has to be voted on by June 30, or it cannot be considered for another year.

Savage said the county did not know what the added tax would be for each segment of vehicle, but it would range from $22 to $25 for passenger vehicles.

Buddy Patterson, D-District 2, said he was undecided about the tax.

“If we had to vote today, I’d vote against it,” he said. “It’s just a burden that’s going to be put on the people. People in my district, I vote for their wishes, and I have not had many people stand up for it.”

However, Patterson said, he wanted to get more information about the tax before he made a final decision.

“After I get public input, I might change my mind,” he said. “I don’t know enough about it to make a decision right now.”