As September approaches, and a vote on the proposed 1 percent food and beverage tax draws closer for the Monroe County Council, residents will have another opportunity to speak for or against the tax on Tuesday.
The council has two regular meetings, including the day of the vote, where the public will have the chance to comment. The council does not normally take comment during its work sessions.
A discussion of a draft of an ordinance for the proposed tax is on the county council’s agenda Tuesday, giving the council time to publicly discuss the draft before a Sept. 10 vote.
The draft ordinance will address many of issues that have been previously been discussed by the council when an interlocal agreement was an option, most likely including a possible sunset provision.
State legislation passed in 2009 allows the Monroe County Council to implement a 1 percent food and beverage tax on items bought in restaurants and bars. It would not apply to most grocery purchases, but could apply to purchases from the deli or other take-out section.
Money raised by the tax would be split into two pots: Money collected in the city of Bloomington would go into city coffers, and all other money raised in the county, including in Ellettsville and Stinesville, would go to the county.
Money may not go to anything not outlined in the legislation, which states it can only be used to finance, refinance, construct, operate, or maintain a convention center, a conference
center, or related tourism or economic development projects. The tax could fund a proposed expansion of the downtown convention center; however, nothing in the legislation guarantees this will happen.
center, or related tourism or economic development projects. The tax could fund a proposed expansion of the downtown convention center; however, nothing in the legislation guarantees this will happen.
The ordinance could define what related tourism or economic development projects would be, and may provide a plan for how an advisory commission, which is required by the legislation, would operate.
The draft already received input from council members, and includes language that was present in the council’s previous discussion of an interlocal agreement, said council member Rick Dietz, who is working on the draft.
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