Bloomington holds public hearing on sales tax increase

Posted on September 15, 2015
Several citizens attended the public hearing on a proposed one-percent sales tax increase in Bloomington Monday night. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)
Several citizens attended the public hearing on a proposed one-percent sales tax increase in Bloomington Monday night. (Joe Ragusa/WJBC)

By Joe Ragusa

BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council heard from several residents on a proposed one-percent sales tax increase Monday night.

Charles Smith spoke about the need to fund mental health programs.

“I know many of the people who need these services. They’re good people,” Smith said. “They have lives, families, they want to work. Very often, mental illness gets in the way of that.”

PODCAST: Listen to Scott and Colleen’s interview with City Manager David Hales on WJBC.

Twenty-five percent of the proposed sales tax increase would go towards helping McLean County fund mental health needs. Another 25 percent would go towards street resurfacing and the remainder would go into the general fund.

Bruce Meeks said he has an issue with the sales tax increase and home rule in general.

“Where’s the sunset clause on sales taxes? There isn’t one,” Meeks said. “With home rule, if you do a sales tax increase, it’s never going to go away.”

The proposal will be voted on next Monday. If approved, it would increase both Bloomington and Normal’s sales tax to 8.75 percent. The Normal Town Council approved the increase last week.

City Manager David Hales says the sales tax increase is expected to generate an extra $9.6 million annually in Bloomington.

Joe Ragusa can be reached at [email protected].

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