Hattiesburg releases âYour Penny at Workâ two-year report Hattiesburg releases âYour Penny at Workâ two-year report By Melissa Rademaker | May 4, 2021 at 4:48 PM CDT - Updated May 4 at 6:33 PM HATTIESBURG, Miss. (WDAM) - Citizensâ pennies have been at work in the city of Hattiesburg for two years. In April of 2019, voters approved a 1% sales tax on hotel, motel and restaurant payments by an overwhelming margin of 81%. Since then, the initiative has generated a total of $2,342,447.63. More than $2 million has been spent on parks and recreation projects. Mayor Toby Barker says the tax and associated projects are all things residents expressed a need and want for.