By Howard Packowitz
BLOOMINGTON – Bloomington aldermen will vote Monday night whether to raise the local gas tax to pay for street repairs, meaning city leaders believe a majority of council members will vote for the increase.
The city would also levy an annual $500 licensing fee for each video gaming terminal.
City Manager Tim Gleason said he would not have placed the items on the agenda without majority council support.
“When it comes time to vote, things can change, but we’re not going to allow things to play out on the floor of the council chambers that might be unnecessary to even bring it up because there isn’t support,” said Gleason.
If approved, the local motor fuel tax would double to eight cents per gallon starting May 1, raising an estimated $2.3 million to be placed in a fund to fix deteriorating streets and sidewalks.
“The council is very conscientious. I would say, and I’ve said this before, they are good stewards of the taxpayer dollar,” said Gleason.
“They push back internally and want us to look internally first before they’re placing the burden on the taxpayers’ shoulders,” Gleason also said.
The video gaming fee would generate about $125,000 a year for the city’s general fund. Currently, 54 Bloomington businesses have a total of 249 terminals.
The city does not have a licensing fee right now. Normal charges $200 per terminal. Decatur and Peoria each charge $500.
Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]
