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CHARLOTTE – Voters in Rowan County are heading to the polls to vote over a proposed tax hike.

A referendum on the ballot would raise the county's sales tax by a quarter of a cent to 8 cents, one of the highest sales taxes in the state. County leaders plan to use the money for a required upgrade to emergency radios in the county and additions to the jail to alleviate overcrowding.

The FCC is requiring that radios transition from analog to digital by 2013, and that change costs money. Rowan County also needs a $12 million radio upgrade because service spotty.

"It is something that we have to do so that we can make sure that we protect the citizens of Rowan County and to make sure those firefighters and those EMS personnel are there when they need them," Robinson said.

There are also plans to build a $6 million facility to alleviate overcrowding in the jail.

By law, the tax increase must be put to a vote. But with four days left to cast a ballot, only 1 percent of the voting population has actually come to the polls in Rowan County. That means a small population could decide if the referendum passes or fails.

"If you don't want to raise property taxes 2 cents, and the county votes down the quarter cent, then I'll be required to cut $2 million somewhere else," Rowan County Manager Gary Page said.

And Page said there are only a few ways left to cut after this year's already lean budget.