Shoppers have a little more time to spend their money and retailers have more time to adjust their cash registers and computer systems before the Fayette County sales tax goes up a penny.

The increase in the retail sales tax from five to six cents on the dollar starts April 1, 2005, about five months after voters narrowly approved the Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax.

The Citizen incorrectly reported last week that collection of the tax would begin Jan. 1, 2005.

The tax will raise nearly $116 million to help fund the county's long-range transportion plan, a series of road projects slated to improve traffic flow countywide.

In a county government retreat in November, Public Works Director Lee Hearn laid out a timeline of June for when the funds would start becoming available and designated projects might be under way. The state collects sales tax from retailers and then returns the designated portion