HUNTSVILLE, Alabama - Come March 1, most purchases in the Huntsville city limits will carry an additional 1-cent sales tax.

The Huntsville City Council voted Thursday night to raise the city's sales tax from 8 percent to 9 percent to pay for $250 million in planned improvements to Memorial Parkway, University Drive, U.S. 72 East and other major roads.

Huntsville Mayor Tommy Battle (Eric Schultz | eschultz@al.com)

Mayor Tommy Battle estimates the higher tax will generate $30 million to $34 million annually, with most of the new money -- $25 million a year - earmarked for roads. The rest will go toward industrial recruitment and public infrastructure such as new parks and greenways.

Battle said the projects scheduled under a five-year road construction partnership with the Alabama Department of Transportation - including three new Parkway overpasses, a wider University Drive west of Providence and the next leg of the Northern Bypass - will help meet the city's traffic needs for a generation. The city and state will split the $250 million tab equally.

"These roads spell opportunity for us," said Battle. "We have to do it if we want to be a growing, prosperous community."

"If you're not a growing area, you're going to be a dying area."

Added Councilman Will Culver: "We really don't have a choice."

The council approved the tax increase unanimously. Huntsville last increased sales taxes in November 1989 -the same month the Berlin Wall came down.

Seven audience members spoke against the tax hike at Thursday's council meeting, and two in favor. Brenda Waller earned applause when she scolded the council for voting to raise taxes when people are distracted by the holidays.

"Something this big," said Waller, "should not be done at this time of year."

David Pinkleton said picking up 50 percent of the tab to improve state roads sets a "dangerous precedent." DOT officials in Montgomery won't have any incentive to steer road construction dollars to Huntsville in the future if the city shows it can pay its own way, said Pinkleton.

Cummings Research Park Director John Southerland urged the council to vote yes, saying a short commute is one of the city's best selling points to new industry. But that quick drive to and from work is in jeopardy with metro Huntsville's population zooming from 294,353 in 1990 to 430,734 in 2012, he said.

"This traffic buildup we have will not stop and will not resolve itself," said Southerland.

Huntsville City Council President Mark Russell. (File photo)

The council voted down an amendment proposed by Mark Russell to have the higher tax sunset, or expire, after five years.

Russell said five years of extra revenue would solve the city's immediate road needs without tying the hands of future councils.

"There may be different opinions and different circumstances in five years," he said.

His amendment failed 3-2, with only Bill Kling in favor.

Battle argued against a sunset clause, saying Huntsville has $1.5 billion in traffic needs that will not be addressed by the upcoming DOT road construction plan. Allowing the higher tax to expire in 2019 "does not give us a long-term solution," he said.