Bloomington Aldermen to vote on sales tax increase

Posted on September 20, 2015
Bloomington City Hall
Bloomington City Council members could change how any sales tax money would be used. (WJBC file photo)

By Terry James

BLOOMINGTON – The Bloomington City Council takes up the issue of increasing the sales tax by one-percent Monday Night.

The plan now is for 25 percent to go towards helping McLean County fund mental health needs. Another 25 percent would go towards street resurfacing and the remainder would be used to heal the deficit.  Assistant City Manager Steve Rasmussen says at last week’s public hearing many members of the public asked that the money be used elsewhere.

“A lot of people came in and asked that some of the that money would go to other things and the council could always amend the ordinance from the way it is written now to add some of those things in or not add them in,” said Rasmussen.

The Town of Normal has already approved the increase, but their decision is contingent on what the Bloomington city council decides.

The public will have another chance to address the council at the special meeting.

Terry James can be reached at [email protected].

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year.  It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city.   Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University.   We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk.  Going to work every day for some people means…