City of Bloomington, Indiana City Council, 9 Sep 2020

Previous Meeting Next Meeting

⏯

youtube image

►

From YouTube: Bloomington City Council, September 9, 2020

Description

meeting agenda: https://bloomington.in.gov/onboard/meetingFiles/download?meetingFile_id=7536

A

B

This meeting will come to order. This is a.

B

Special session of the bloomington common council for the 9th of september.

B

2020. will the clerk please call the roll.

C

Council member rallo here scandalory here, rosenberger.

C

Here sims here bowlin here.

C

Piedmont: smith.

C

Here, thank you uh flaherty here smith, here.

C

And sandberg here we have a quorum and everyone is present.

B

Thank you uh to summarize the agenda. uh We will.

B

Have approval of minutes um for three different meetings from.

B

Past 12 months, followed by legislation for first reading resolutions, including.

B

Resolution 2013 a resolution proposing an ordinance to modify the monroe county.

B

Local income tax rate allocate the additional revenues to.

B

Economic development and cast votes in favor of the ordinance.

B

And I anticipate there will be a motion to add.

B

Ordinance 2016 as an item under legislation for first reading.

B

uh We will take the matters of council schedule and then we will adjourn.

B

So that completes the summation of the agenda. Mr president,.

D

I move to add to the agenda under legislation for first reading.

D

Ordinance 2016 to establish the state, sustainable development, non-reverting.

D

Fund and to amend title ii of the bloomington municipal code entitled administration and personnel.

D

Adding chapter 2.35 entitled sustainable development fund advisory commission.

E

Second, we have a motion and a second, uh I believe this motion is uh debatable.

B

uh If uh why is it debatable, mr lucas? Yes, I it's debatable and requires a.

F

Simple majority to pass.

B

Okay, uh mr flaherty, if you would uh very briefly explain.

B

uh Your motion sure uh yeah. This ordinance is um directly.

D

Related to the resolution we're considering tonight and next week, uh it's something that may have bearing on council members voting.

D

Decisions with regard to the resolution 2013., so I.

D

Think it's important that we consider the ordinance in the same time frame uh the idea of introducing it tonight for first reading.

D

uh Is that we would be able to then um have second reading and discussion and.

D

Vote on the ordinance next week, uh in conjunction.

D

With with the time frame scheduled for the resolution, currently just to be clear, though uh this the.

B

Because this is an ordinance you're only asking for first reading tonight and not.

B

To also discuss it tonight correct only asking for first reading.

D

Tonight, uh if the meeting went, you know if members.

D

Wanted to, I suppose we could.

D

Vote to suspend the rules to have discussion following the discussion of resolution 2013. uh But as this went out in the packet.

D

Today, just based on the tight time frames of uh resolution, 2013 coming to us last friday and directing this ordinance.

D

It probably makes more sense to uh give members of the public and council.

D

Members um time to sit with it and formulate.

D

Questions uh ahead of next week's meeting is my.

D

Sort of hunch or preference- but you know really up to this body, to decide that I suppose all right. Thank you. Are there any.

B

Questions on the procedural motion, uh council baralo uh just check.

G

uh If it adheres to public notice requirements.

G

To proceed this way, mr lucas, mr lucas, our uh local code provides that.

F

Before voting on an ordinance uh actually given two readings, um I think with council member flaherty's motion tonight.

F

uh Tonight would serve as the first reading.

F

I think his intent is then to uh have it come back to the council next.

F

Week without uh committee discussion uh for second reading, so it complies.

F

With our codes requirements for two readings, um it certainly doesn't follow.

F

Our typical practice of release in a pack at the friday before a wednesday.

F

Meeting um I think council member flaherty mentioned that the uh that's a result of the uh the timeline.

F

For the resolution that the administration has uh has requested so.

F

um I don't, I think, we're complying with our own code.

F

um And uh the only kind of hiccup I could see is that if a member thought it.

F

Deserved committee consideration a council member could could move to refer.

F

This item to uh to a committee, if it.

F

If it is introduced later down in the agenda, um I don't believe.

F

um That's a requirement um so absent uh a motion to refer this to some committee.

F

I believe it's within the uh the authority of the council president to schedule this for next week's uh meeting and place it on the agenda.

G

Could I ask the follower of councilmember flaherty, please.

G

Would you be averse to having it hurt by committee.

G

Before adoption, in other words, um delaying another cycle.

D

I guess personally- and you know we can uh discuss this when we.

D

Get into the the body of the ordinance um uh at some point.

D

It's material to how I may vote on on the resolution 2013. I think that may be.

D

True, uh for others too, just based on questions at the work session last week.

D

And uh feedback from constituents uh it go it's material to a lot of.

D

Issues that have been raised by members of the public, both in the spring when we first considered a local income tax proposal, as well as in recent weeks.

D

uh So uh while I'm not averse to a committee uh hearing, I think the timing.

D

Of considering this, in conjunction with resolution, 2013.

D

Is um pretty essential? Actually, I should point out procedurally that.

B

There needs to be a second vote uh because, of course, if we do amend the.

B

Agenda to do it tonight, then uh the typical vote.

B

uh Needs to occur for anything introduced to first reading. It needs a majority approval to be read so we'll.

B

Have to take a roll call vote at that point as well.

B

That may be moot if this motion passes, but just to note that.

B

There is a kind of a redundant, uh you know.

B

We, theoretically, we could have just done this at first reading, but.

B

uh Mr lucas, as I think correctly suggested that we needed to.

B

Address it with the summation of the agenda.

B

Any other questions about the motion.

B

If not, I will ask the clerk to call the role on the motion to amend the agenda.

B

To add ordinance, 2016.

C

Foreign rosenberger yeah.

C

Sims, yes, volun. Yes,.

C

Piedmont. Smith; yes, flaherty! Yes, smith! Yes,.

C

Sandberg, yes,.

B

Is that everyone? Thank you all right uh by 9-0 vote we will amend.

B

The agenda to add ordinance 2016 for our first reading.

B

Moving along to approval of minutes.

E

Yes, mr president, I move that um the minutes.

E

Of september 25th 2019 special session, the revised minutes of the october 2nd.

E

2019 regular session and the minutes of the september 2nd 2020 regular session.

E

Be approved second.

B

We have a motion in a second uh any comments or.

B

About the minutes, if not they'll entertain a motion to approve.

E

Just to remind you that it was just to remind you that there was a.

E

Revision, a couple of small revisions to the minutes from october, 2nd 2019. That.

E

Was uh sent out, I think yesterday.

B

uh Will the clerk please call the role on the minute for approval.

C

Council member scandal, larry yeah rosenberger yeah sims.

H

B

Yes, piedmont; smith; yes, clarity! Yes, smith!.

I

Abstain. Sandberg, yes,.

G

B

All right, those minutes are approved. We go now.

B

To legislation for first reading and resolutions.

E

Mr president, I move that resolution 2013 be introduced and read by the clerk by.

E

Title and synopsis only second, we have a motion in a second.

B

Will the clerk please call the role on the motion to introduce.

B

Resolution 2013. council member rosenberger, yes,.

C

Sims, yes, bolin, yes, piedmont! Smith! Yes,.

C

Flaherty, yes, smith, yes, sandberg! Yes,.

C

B

Okay, we have a 9-0 on that with a clerk, please read by title and synopsis.

C

Resolution 20-13 resolution proposing an ordinance to modify the monroe county.

C

Local income tax rate allocate the additional revenues to.

C

Economic development and cast votes in favor of the ordinance.

C

The synopsis is resolution. 20-13 proposes an ordinance to the monroe.

C

County local income tax council that would impose an.

C

Economic development, tax rate edit, the monroe county, local income tax.

C

Council is the body that must approve modifications to the local income tax.

C

And it consists of four member fiscal bodies.

C

One, the city of bloomington common council, two.

C

The monroe county council, three, the town of ellisville.

C

Town council and for the town of steinsville town council.

C

This resolution would cast some percentage of the city of bloomington's.

C

Votes on the monroe county, local income tax council in favor of the ordinance modifying the local income tax to impose.

C

An edit, depending on the votes of the individual.

C

Members of the city of bloomington common council.

E

Mr president, I move that ordinance 2013 be adopted.

E

Second: point of order: I'm sorry resolution resolution 2013.

E

D

I just wanted to confirm that that's the proper motion given.

D

Your your past um discussion in our meeting last week that the intent.

D

Is to consider this resolution over two meetings.

D

uh We don't need, any sort of you know, do pass recommendation or anything. I think.

D

We would just continue it, but is it the price? I just wanted to make sure that we're um we are currently in special session.

B

Yes, this is correct. We are currently in special session. This is not a committee.

B

The whole normally resolutions can be passed in.

B

One meeting, but they do not have to be more importantly, because this resolution involves effectively uh money. The.

B

Appropriation or raising of taxes um it had an advertising requirement and.

B

uh The soonest that it could be advertised.

B

As soon as that, the advertised public meeting could be held.

B

Was september 16th, which is a week from today, so.

B

uh The council basically does not have the option.

B

To approve uh this resolution tonight and so the resolution I'll be, I mean.

B

There's not even really uh an obligation of us.

B

To vote on it tonight at most, I think the.

B

Appropriate uh motion will be to uh send it to second reading or move to.

B

Postpone to the 16th, but um we can't legally.

B

Adopt such emotion tonight uh whether we want to or not.

B

I hope that clarifies things for everyone sure, but the motion to adopt is.

D

Still the proper motion to make now is that right, that's what I wanted to just double check. uh Mr lucas.

F

I I think the discussion tonight will center on whether or not to.

F

Adopt the resolution, um I think the council should understand that they can.

F

Actually vote to adopt it tonight, but I don't think it's out of order to uh to have that be the motion. That's.

F

Pending before the council, with the understanding that the council is simply able to discuss it and not vote on that tonight,.

F

Right, thank you. Okay, do we do we need to alter the motion.

F

I I see no reason to I it's again. um It's discussion of the motion to.

F

Adopt that that will occur tonight with the understanding that a vote on.

F

That motion couldn't occur earlier than next next wednesday, very good with that, I will invite.

B

Mayor hamilton to discuss it, I do want to point out that.

B

I do not have a timer available tonight on this meeting.

B

um We are primarily discussing one subject.

B

I would ask the mayor and every member of council to.

B

uh Be modest in their uh in their bites of the apple.

B

um You know, because I think that this discussion is going to be.

B

Significant, if not extensive uh with that, mr mayor.

B

Welcome thank you for being here and please go ahead.

B

And present resolution 2013.

J

Thank you. uh So can you hear me all right.

J

I I take your advice about modest presentation.

J

uh I will recognizing, however, that it's a.

J

Major request: I do want to spend a little time.

J

Talking to you about what we're proposing- and I want to thank you for.

J

For holding this special session, um why are we here? What is the problem.

J

We are trying to address we're here, because city revenues do not.

J

Match our needs, nor our challenges.

J

Nor our values and like we did in 2016 when we acknowledged that revenues for.

J

Public safety did not match our community's needs and.

J

Expectations for well-trained equipped and funded public.

J

Safety systems and as this council then passed a 0.25.

J

Public safety, local income tax today our community is reeling from a.

J

Pandemic and a resulting economic recession.

J

We need to get help to our families, who need to get.

J

Jobs we need to protect each other with a strong.

J

Social safety net and to ensure that economic recovery.

J

Forward is inclusive and just for everyone. We also need to address.

J

Racial injustice that persists in bloomington we.

J

Need to do our part, responding to the climate.

J

Emergency, these are all very big challenges.

J

And it's also important to mention that our basic government services.

J

Are under stress, we expect to face significant revenue pressures.

J

In the coming two to four years as a result of the recession,.

J

And of increased demands for service now, the positive news is that, as we.

J

Address these challenges we will be creating the kind of.

J

Community that matches our values and that will offer higher quality of.

J

Life to everyone, and particularly those in our community.

J

Who struggle to meet their family needs and fulfill their family opportunities?.

J

More positive news is that we have already.

J

Taken and are taking appropriate steps together. We've made very important.

J

Investments over the past several years and with recover forward part one for.

J

2020, with two million dollars being deployed as we speak,.

J

Toward these goals and with recover forward.

J

Part two embedded in the 2021 budget that we've.

J

Outlined and proposed to you and will work on together in the coming weeks.

J

Tonight is about part three: how we assure ongoing commitment to.

J

An investment in this progress to help bloomington.

J

Recover and thrive- I am here tonight to urge the city.

J

Council to support an economic development, local income tax, ed.

J

Lit increase of 0.25 to generate about 4 million dollars per.

J

Year to address these challenges and help our.

J

Families move ahead, we'll discuss the kinds of some of.

J

These best investments shortly briefly on the how.

J

We propose to create a new, separate and discreet.

J

City fund, into which ed lit revenues will flow and from which.

J

They will be appropriated annually under state law. A capital plan is to be.

J

Provided by the executive to guide expenditures- and I commit to you.

J

That we will work together to develop that plan.

J

Annually, with full and regular transparency and accountability.

J

To and input from our community in a few minutes I'll be presenting.

J

An outline of a potential plan, but it's critical to note that this is.

J

Just a preliminary outline, it shows some of what is needed.

J

And what can be accomplished with this ed.

J

Lit it also shows many things that cannot be achieved.

J

Without it, but ahead of us is a lot of dialogue and collective.

J

Planning to refine an actual plan after the ed lit.

J

Is enacted now, let's consider the when of the ed lit, as you know, to generate.

J

Additional local revenues: there are few choices. Besides a lit.

J

Property taxes are determined by state formula with the prescribed.

J

Growth in the levy each year, beyond which we cannot go.

J

Most other revenue sources are similarly.

J

Set by formula such as the gas tax or state or federal appropriations.

J

State legislature has basically allowed only the local option.

J

Income tax as how we can achieve needed revenues. They also, of course,.

J

Established the lit council and very specific voting procedures to adopt a.

J

Lit now, specifically, if the lit is in place.

J

Before november 1 it becomes effective january 1.

J

Next year we know the state legislature has indicated concern.

J

About even the current lit approach in the past legislative session earlier.

J

This year after we began discussing the lit they.

J

Changed the voting procedures in the legislature to limit.

J

The ability of cities with the majority of votes in their counties.

J

To enact a lit and this provision expires in.

J

In may, 2021 clearly indicating plans to adjust it again.

J

In the coming session, some legislative proposals.

J

This past spring would have removed a city's ability.

J

To vote altogether, that is, it is not clear that the lit.

J

Council and we will have authority effectively.

J

To enact this revenue after 1031.

J

So who needs to act to pass before october 31 or on october by october, 31.

J

We need the city council to act by september, 16.

J

To allow the other jurisdictions of the lit council, their.

J

Statutory chance to weigh in vote, discuss, hear from the public and so.

J

Forth so the full lit council, as established.

J

By state law can review and act on the proposal.

J

By the end of october, now, two two important decides.

J

One we are following the lit rules established by the state legislature.

J

It is important to note that for many years, municipalities have sought.

J

Permission from the state legislature to enact.

J

Municipal lips, our own lit, I want to repeat that.

J

We have tried for many years to be allowed to enact.

J

Municipal income taxes, the legislature has always denied that local authority.

J

And required county-wide taxes. We absolutely will.

J

Seek again this coming year, that city authority and look forward to pursuing that with.

J

Our county colleagues and let me say clearly tonight.

J

If the state legislature finally does give.

J

Municipalities, that authority and if other local jurisdictions decide.

J

They don't want the revenue after this eb lit is passed if it is.

J

I would and will advocate to rescind the edie lit and pass a city only.

J

Lit but let me be equally clear tonight that I do not believe we can let.

J

The city's future depend on the benevolence.

J

Of the state legislature, by enacting the ed lit, we are protecting.

J

Our future, while also preserving indeed, perhaps.

J

Supporting the opportunity to work with the legislature.

J

To encourage additional flexibility, all that weighs in the timing of this lit.

J

And a second aside is just this about the nature of the lit.

J

It is a flat tax on household income reported to the state. We are not.

J

Allowed to impose a progressive income tax.

J

I'll share data about that in a moment, but again the hand we are dealt.

J

Is the option of a fixed local income tax.

J

I will look forward to appealing to the legislature to encourage.

J

More just and appropriate progressive local tax options.

J

As well, but back to the main question and conclude this.

J

Introduction with the principles involved here, budgets.

J

Are our values and beyond the basic services? We must assure.

J

Of course, public safety and infrastructure and regulation.

J

Our budgets embody what we value for our community and our people. We.

J

In bloomington invest in quality of life and we believe in opportunity.

J

For all in these very challenging times, we must be.

J

Counter-Cyclical, we must ensure that our community invests.

J

In economic justice, so some people aren't left behind now or as we recover.

J

We must invest in racial justice, so we continue our progress to overcome the.

J

Legacies and present realities of racial discrimination.

J

Deep in our countries and this community's history.

J

We must embrace the challenge of the climate emergency understanding. This is.

J

A collective responsibility requiring collective.

J

Action- and that means us we do.

J

All this, knowing that as we invest in these values,.

J

We are investing in each other, we are investing in the better future.

J

For our community and in all of this, our investments need.

J

To steer toward those most in need to assure.

J

The value of new revenues is an investment in the future of all of us.

J

Now I'm going to turn to share some visuals and some details. First.

J

Just briefly about tax capacity, and if you can.

J

Go to the first slide. Increasing revenues always should be done.

J

Only when it's needed to achieve important goals.

J

And we should be sensitive to the overall tax rates.

J

It's very important to know that we in this very progressive community have.

J

Very low tax rates relative to our peers, four charts. First, this chart shows the.

J

United states, our country's overall tax rate, is very.

J

Low compared to 35 member countries of the.

J

Organization for economic cooperation, we are nearly at the bottom as a country.

J

In terms of our overall tax revenues as a share of our country,.

J

Next slide within that low tax country.

J

Our state of indiana ranks 35th out of 50 of the states for the total.

J

Tax state and local revenue, as estimated here.

J

Trying to assess the overall aggregate tax load.

J

In each state, so in this very low tax country.

J

We are in a quite low tax state third chart even within this low.

J

Tax state in a low tax country, if you look at the 20 largest indiana.

J

Cities and rank them by the combined property and local.

J

Income tax rates- we are nearly at the bottom of.

J

Bloomington of those 20 cities, indianapolis, is not.

J

Included as a municipal as a county integrated county, but we are nearly at the bottom of that and just as a fourth chart.

J

uh To remind us, looking directly at the lit.

J

Tax, the local income tax- this is a chart of the 21 counties that are either.

J

Touching us contiguous to us or contiguous to them.

J

The 21 region closest counties, uh the lit rev, the lit level for these.

J

Counties, ours is 1.345, there are two counties of those 21 that.

J

Have lower taxes than we do in the green.

J

There are uh 18 other counties that have higher in the blue, from 1.4 up.

J

To 1.99 percent and in the orange 2 and above.

J

Lit tax this proposal would take us to 1.595.

J

Which would mean two counties would turn green.

J

Lower than us of this list, but one of those counties is presently proposing a.

J

Point two percent, which would take them back to blue uh as as higher than us. So I just wanted to note that.

J

In this context, we we are a very low tax jurisdiction um now.

J

Many of us would strongly believe a progressive tax.

J

Is better than a flat tax? I wanted to share what information.

J

We can gather about who pays the lit tax and how that burden is shared.

J

Through our community there's one more chart that as best we.

J

Can predict, which is from reedy financial group and.

J

I I it's hard to digest all of this, but I'll just point out a couple things. This is the best data we can get.

J

Trying to align who is going to pay this income tax.

J

And how much will they pay and you can see by income band on the left? This.

J

Chart shows income groups of over 100 000 annual income between 75 and 100.

J

Between 50 and 75, between 25 and 50, or below 25 000.,.

J

The number of households best we can tell by the data.

J

The percent of households and then the two columns.

J

uh Right in the middle of the page, the percent lit revenue paid in the.

J

Percent and the dollars, and I would just note.

J

uh While it is a flat tax- and I wish we could do it- otherwise it's important to.

J

Note that, as best, we can estimate just over half of the total.

J

Revenue collected from this lit tax will be paid by.

J

Households earning a hundred thousand dollars or more.

J

Those are about 18 percent of our households, but they will pay.

J

About a little over 50 percent of the of the amount of revenue coming in.

J

Conversely, the 56 percent, the bottom two tranches of the income groups below.

J

Of 50, 000 or below those households earning 50 000.

J

Below which is most of our households over 56 percent.

J

Will pay less than twenty percent unless, if it's a four million dollars would be.

J

Less than eight hundred thousand dollars toward the lit making only the point.

J

That, while it is a flat tax and it's not what we would like to do, it is important to note.

J

Where the money is coming from- and it reminds us in particular.

J

If we can be sure to push and invest that.

J

Revenue that we get to support the low and moderate income.

J

Households uh we can indeed multiply the impact uh even financially.

J

To those households, as we invest that compared to what is being paid.

J

So I just wanted to share that next from from reading financial group.

J

Best estimates we can get now, um I'm very cautious of time and I don't.

J

Want to take too much time, but I want to note there's a balance between sharing a potential plan with details.

J

Versus simply recognizing the community input and the council input for.

J

Whatever an ultimate plan is but to propose some key.

J

Investments to put into to put our values into our budgets, I'm going to.

J

Outline a potential capital plan and again.

J

This this notes what we can do with revenue.

J

And what we generally cannot do without the revenue.

J

So if we begin with an overview slide, we've we've shared with you.

J

A potential five-year draft capital plan I put capital in quotes.

J

Because the economic development lit is is not dedicated to.

J

What we would call capital in our budgets, but it's a plan.

J

To how to invest it, this is an overall chart and I'm going to go through each of these categories quite quickly, but you've seen.

J

This five-year outline, uh which shows more than we have revenue for of the.

J

Kind of investments and I'll if we go to the next slide I'll just.

J

Summarize some of these some of these are going to be familiar from recover.

J

Forward and others others will be new in terms of investing.

J

In lower energy use, lowering the energy cost for many of our.

J

Households or smaller businesses with subsidies for.

J

Energy conservation, investments, efficiency.

J

Energy efficiency, insulation appliances, solar, etc.

J

Another category is to replace all of our street lights.

J

With led, which would be a not insubstantial uh movement to lower our.

J

Carbon footprint at about 300 000 a year, two examples.

J

Next slide uh looks at improve investments to.

J

Improve mobility options. Many of these have job.

J

Impacts as well but you've seen some of these.

J

In recover ford, already sidewalking and path enhancements.

J

Annual investments which do create jobs as well to invest in sidewalks in the.

J

Places that need it most, a modest investment regularly to just.

J

Improve accessibility to bus stops. You see a significant investment in the.

J

Transportation demand management program, a new program that.

J

Will require new investments to lower the reliance on single.

J

Passenger automobiles, the next two are, are substantial sources.

J

To invest in the transportation's plans outline of.

J

A high priority bicycle network, which will also help us match uh federal.

J

And state money uh and and the last one, the master plan.

J

Greenway uh outline of high priority trail.

J

Projects and the kind of annual revenue that.

J

Would help us move those projects significantly forward also job creators next slide. This is a reference to.

J

A number of items- uh food and others that really focus on quality of life and.

J

And for our people directly, local agriculture support uh supporting the local farmers who have.

J

Been working very hard and in a lot of barriers supporting, as you see.

J

As we've talked about extra jack hopkins funding,.

J

uh The social safety net is a huge part of our community, and this is a.

J

Substantial investment in their future and their success.

J

Many of which are stressed uh significant recovery grants for the arts.

J

Community, including uh what may be needed for the waldron.

J

Art center operation, the digital equity, uh the fire community care program that.

J

We've talked about that reaches out to people on the streets, typically, who have.

J

High medical needs- some other items on here would include.

J

The regular capital improvements needed in our parks to keep.

J

Up with them, uh significant urban forestry.

J

Investments, you heard the other night from lauren travis about the importance.

J

Of urban trees and then we do list the possibility of a.

J

Curbside composting program, a substantial investment to divert what is up to 40 of our waste stream.

J

That is compostable, then the next slide.

J

You've seen job support investments. This is continuing to try to help people get.

J

Into the workplace, who are not in it now or need better jobs,.

J

Different jobs, reentry jobs aligning with center stone for that.

J

Wonderful program they do as well as ivy tech in the introduction getting people into the growing life sciences.

J

Projects, companies and then a substantial investment that we can do.

J

Directly for child care, support for low and moderate income, households, knowing.

J

How significant the need for that is it's at least a step in that direction in the next slide.

J

Two more, I think, you've seen this housing support on.

J

Ownership to help those who are ready for a first-time home.

J

Purchase access our city's ownership opportunities, either through down.

J

Payment assistance or more substantial, shared appreciation.

J

Assistance we also uh outline the potential for 250.

J

000 a year to support those who are either.

J

Experiencing homelessness or at serious risk of homelessness to help.

J

Address that very serious challenge in our community.

J

And I think the last uh sub slide here is focusing on some particular city.

J

Government infrastructure needs you, some of you are aware of the telecom.

J

Fund, which is on a continual downward slide, that has been the fund that we have used to support I.t.

J

Infrastructure upgrades as that fund declines.

J

Finding the way to replace that is very challenging.

J

This is one option and second facility upgrades for our 24 buildings that we're.

J

Responsible for uh these would be envelope a lot of.

J

Energy efficiency uh work to continue with our with our.

J

Buildings and the next slide just wraps up uh kind of.

J

That summary again and you can see uh in those categories- uh the amounts.

J

It's it's easy to get more than four million dollars a year of needs.

J

That are very important and outlined, um reminding us that we're going to have.

J

Choices to make, and let me let me just close these.

J

Are critical investments from my perspective and they are focused.

J

On lifting our whole community and meeting our challenges.

J

They put our values into action and when, when people are struggling.

J

When our whole community is struggling, some ask.

J

Why seek these revenues? Because government is here to make our.

J

Lives better to invest these funds.

J

To improve lives to build a better future, especially for those at.

J

Risk to lower energy bills and save families.

J

Cash every month, while we're addressing climate change to improve non-automobile mobility.

J

Options to eliminate the need for a car.

J

To bolster our social safety net with more jack hopkins funds that will serve.

J

Tens of thousands of needy neighbors to help protect hundreds of.

J

People experiencing or at risk of.

J

Homelessness to help individuals who are struggling to get into the workplace.

J

Or back into the workplace, or to get a better paying job to.

J

Support child care for those low-income working families to help local farmers.

J

And local artists make a living to help bridge the digital divide, to help.

J

First-Time home buyers actually buy a home to plant hundreds of trees.

J

This is government investing in our future.

J

These are investments worth doing if we do not pass.

J

The ed lit we will not be able to do these things and things.

J

Like that, we will face serious restrictions.

J

On our ability to meet basic services and help in the recovery.

J

Some friends and colleagues in county government have indicated their.

J

Opposition to this proposal, I respect their views of their own needs.

J

And, of course, they will have flexibility of how to use.

J

Any revenues that would come to them whether to allocate them to other.

J

Jurisdictions or strengthen reserves for tough times ahead or otherwise.

J

Redistribute them and we look forward to working together.

J

To convince the legislature to give all of us more flexibility, but for us for bloomington in bloomington. This is.

J

The choice to put our progressive values into.

J

Action to be counter cyclical and to help.

J

Recovery to include all of us and move us closer to economic and.

J

Racial and climate justice, I strongly encourage.

J

Your support for the ed lit proposal and I welcome.

J

Your questions and comments, thank you.

B

Thank you, mr mayor uh again, I will just point out that I do not have a clock.

B

Here I'll try to keep one uh on my screen valid last members to.

B

Limit their questions to five minutes at a time, but.

B

uh As many rounds as they feel, they need, uh after two rounds.

B

I'd like to go to the public and then we'll come back for uh more.

B

Rounds of questions uh with that uh is there. Anyone who has.

B

A question about resolution 2013 for the mayor.

B

Council, member piedmont smith, followed by councilman varela.

E

Yes, I wanted to ask just a very basic uh question, and that is at what.

E

Income point does a resident in the state of indiana.

E

Have to pay the local income tax like how much money do they have to.

E

Earn before they have to pay it.

J

Well, I do. We do have reedy on the line.

J

uh It is a flat tax on, as far as I know, all income.

J

After your deductions and exemptions that everybody gets of a few thousand.

J

Dollars typically, but I don't know if, if there's a tax, expert or michael.

J

On on the line wants to add, if anybody knows that.

F

I'm sorry, mr mayor, uh who is, if you'd like to.

F

Have jump in they may not be uh able to it's. um There he's waving, try jeff.

J

Underwood right jeff, thank you.

J

There you go hear me: yeah, okay, yeah, the mayor's correct, essentially the.

K

It's the bottom end of the exemptions that you get for the state of.

K

Indiana state of indiana is taxed, they take the adjusted gross income tax.

K

From the federal there are some deductions from that, including any.

K

Deductions for renters or property taxes, as well as.

K

Exemptions, so uh it would probably be if I'm doing math in my head and if.

K

Reedy wants to jump on. They've got the total amount. It should be around um three thirty five hundred dollars.

E

So anyone earning more than thirty five hundred dollars would feel the impact of.

E

This additional bit correct with an adjusted gross income of.

J

More than thirty five million yeah, that's assuming that either rent or.

K

Or have uh a home that gets them the maximum.

K

Deduction uh as well as they'd automatically get.

K

The standard deduction from that as well. Okay, thank you.

B

Thank you, councilman baralo,.

G

I think this is for controller underwood, uh mr underwood, recognizing what we.

G

Experienced in 2008 uh during the economic downturn.

G

It there was a lack period of effects and I wonder if you could expand a.

G

Little bit on revenue pressures anticipated for 21, 2021 and 2022.

G

um And with what does my encompass based on information that we have from.

K

The state obviously they've already given us, as we presented in in july, our property tax increase, uh which was relatively good.

K

We think the pressures on that will begin to see in 22.

K

23 and 24., if you look at the 2008 down turn, there was some revenue.

K

Decreases in nine, but most of them were failed in 10, 11 and 12.. The state is.

K

Telling us that they expect us to either be flat.

K

On the local income tax, which is the second highest.

K

Revenue that we have for the general fund.

K

And they're still analyzing that but from uh early collections.

K

uh Analysis uh they're saying that they don't expect it to decrease, which is.

K

What uh we proposed uh in in august, with our.

K

Budget, obviously, in 2020 uh right now we're.

K

Seeing experience uh revenue drops in the gasoline tax.

K

uh In food and beverage and the parks and recreation we would expect those to.

K

Continue on um for the next several years, we would.

K

Expect that property taxes will either go flat or decline uh beginning in 2022. You know it's that balancing act of.

K

How do we hit the cat? You know, how much are the caps gonna go up, uh which is one.

K

Hit and then the levy is actually based on a.

K

Seven year rolling average of non-farm wages, uh so uh you.

K

You know, as the economy drops that's why there's that lag period is that you'll.

K

See that those bad years come on as some of the better years go off we and uh for 2021, we dropped off the last.

K

Bad year from the 2008 recession, so I would expect you'll kind.

K

Of see that gradual decline, uh unless we come out of.

K

This um pandemic on a fairly.

K

New uh close basis, and as well as the economy comes back as strong.

K

So could we also experience uh perhaps a decline in assessed value.

K

Absolutely bloomington in monroe county has been.

K

One of the better communities for investment and we've seen a growth.

K

In our av, but essentially that would drive up the tax rate.

K

um If us av goes down it's one of those weird combinations of.

K

If your levy grows faster than.

K

The av, or vice versa. So if your av stays the same and your.

K

Budgets go up, you have a higher tax rate if av goes down.

K

And and your and your and your uh expenses go up, then it's a higher rate.

K

So it's kind of a seesaw effect: okay,.

G

I had another question, but I can wait. That also makes the tax caps more.

J

Threatening, uh as that happens, you have another.

B

Minute and a half mr ello, oh okay, I had a question about.

G

If we had uh this rate increase of 0.25, where would we fall in terms of.

G

The 20 largest cities in indiana would be would.

G

We be mid-range well that we we would move up a little.

J

In that that was a list of lit and property tax rates. We might, I think,.

J

Maybe went from 16 out of 20 to 12 or 13, or something like that in our.

J

21 county region, looking at just the lit, we would go from.

J

19 out of 21 to 17 out of 21., though owen county is.

J

Proposing an increase which would take us back to 18th out of 21.

J

So, okay, all right one more quick one! Do you anticipate, I think you said in.

G

Submitting a capital improvement plan on an annual basis is that is that what.

G

We anticipate, I do to revise it annually.

J

And, of course, every the appropriations would all be done annually uh through through whatever process we have at.

J

Least, through the budget process and anything else, we had.

G

And you would you would uh consult the council absolutely.

G

In performing that plan, thank you. Thank you.

B

Thank you um other further questions. Councilmember, scam, ballerini.

L

Thank you, um mr mary's. You actually spoke to this a little bit, but I believe.

L

Miss philippa guthrie corporation council is on the call as well.

L

So I would invite her to um comment the account the language.

L

That I've read so far speaks about a capital improvement plan that must be.

L

Adopted and if I'm understanding correctly, it is.

L

The executive that would be the mayor who adopts this um so it's not.

L

Just to clarify my understanding, it's not adopted by a council vote or any and again I I set aside for the.

L

Moment ordinance 2016, that's being proposed, but.

L

um Could you confirm my understanding on that.

J

Yeah, I think ms guthrie can add, but I think the state law provides that the.

J

Executive is positive to present a capital plan.

J

To to to present a capital plan to the, um I think, the county auditor who.

J

Release the funds: uh there must be a capital plan that.

J

Allocates at least 75 percent of the of the revenue. um Nothing stops an.

J

Executive from deciding how to implement or how to develop that plan, it.

J

Can be done collectively or in different ways. And as.

J

I put, I put, quotes around it because it's it covers a lot of different things that can be included, that we wouldn't.

J

Necessarily call capital, uh but it is responsibility. The.

J

Executive to to to provide that plan to the county.

J

Fiscal entity that has to approve the transfer of the funds into the city account. Thank you and ms guthrie did you.

L

Want to ask: oh that's good. Okay, um the only other thing I'd say is, of course,.

J

None no no money gets spent without the city council appropriating it.

J

That just puts it, and- and I do understand that I just.

L

You know none of us want to get to the nuclear option. We would rather influence.

L

The process up front, if we can so again, this question is.

L

Directed to ms guthrie, um the different elements.

L

That are proposed in the spreadsheet we looked at are shared as.

L

Illustrative um legally, what does that word mean and how closely does the final.

L

Version need to adhere to the draft. That's been shared with us. Are there any parameters or guidelines for that or how different.

L

Could it be, I guess, is my question.

L

You're, muted, philippa lucas. Mr lucas, could you unmute ms guthrie.

L

M

Thank you. uh So if I'm understanding your question correctly,.

M

The capital plan is not adopted, yet it's adopted after you pass the lit.

M

And it has to be adopted before you can receive your funds.

M

So if this were to pass, we would adopt it by.

M

January 1st or soon thereafter, because that's when the tax starts being.

M

Collected what was being presented tonight was an.

M

Example of what the mayor envisions.

M

uh Being in it, uh but again as he said, he would be work. We would be working.

M

With the council on what would be in it, so that is just.

M

Examples, I would say, and the american correct me.

M

If you would like to add to that, um but what's in the final one is.

M

Is something still to be determined and just to put a finer point on this.

L

Question the use of the word adopt a capital improvement plan is may be.

L

Influenced by council- and I understand the ordinance that's.

L

Pending as well today, but council does not vote on that plan.

L

Correct correct it is, it is phrased as an.

M

Executive function in the statute. Okay, thank you very much.

B

Thank you further questions from members.

B

uh Councilmember flaherty. Thank you. Thank you for the presentation mayor.

D

Hamilton uh I had asked a question in in the work.

D

Session um about property, tax rate relief- and I see.

D

In our um in in the packet of materials that we.

D

Actually have a 0.0518 portion, that is, that is used for.

D

Property tax relief and I asked if it was possible to know.

D

What that um looks like in other counties um just.

D

Because the argument has been made that it affects kind of the effective.

D

uh Local income tax rate and perhaps also if.

D

Controller underwood could speak a little bit to the purpose of that in in.

D

J

Yeah we we did ask- and we have- I didn't- include it tonight, but we have.

J

uh Some uh statewide assessments of how many counties.

J

Do use the local income tax for property tax.

J

Relief, it's about half of all the counties in the state. I believe, and.

J

Mr underwood may be able to add some clarity about that.

K

Yeah I mean essentially it's the county adopts. It.

K

uh And then it goes against uh it's based on av assessed value, so.

K

They recalculate the rate of property tax relief.

K

And um it will vary by person by person, uh there's not kind of a standard.

K

Deduction kind of thing that you could say that it would impact, because everybody's situation is different with the number of exemptions.

K

They get on property taxes, the property tax caps and so on.

D

I kind of meant like the the size of of the proportion or the proportion of the.

D

Of the lit that might be dedicated to that purpose, I see ours is.

D

Point: zero five one eight, for instance like if we knew roughly um what these are, this other half of counties that are.

D

Doing this is it in the similar range? um Is there a lot of.

D

Variety there do. We know that uh we just got some.

K

Some very gross numbers at the last minute, but so we'll we'll see what reedy.

K

Can pull together uh before the next meeting and send that out we'll certainly share with you what we.

J

What we got from them, council, member, we just sure.

D

Sorry, just one more follow-up on that. On that point, um controller underwood is.

D

Prepared to speak to it, uh just just for my education like could you.

D

Tell me why we have that rate and what it's used for.

K

uh It's a it's for property tax relief, the actual.

K

You know property taxes that everybody pays.

K

And I don't recall, we've had it for quite a long time.

K

As far as again, the the tax council has to adopt that, and I think the county.

K

Is the one that has proposed that in the past uh to offset so it.

K

It may have even gone back to the initial implementation.

K

Of the local income tax, this, the local income tax has gone through a lot of.

K

Iterations over the years, uh you know when we first saw it come in.

K

And I believe the mid 70s you know at one point we had you know.

K

These were all separate income taxes. You you had cadget, you had.

K

Lit you had koi, so it's now combined. So you have one.

K

So that you can kind of do some apples to apples kind of comparisons across the.

K

State uh because everybody did things a little bit differently, um you know enacted a different uh category.

K

In a different rate, but my my recollection is that may have.

K

Been adopted and we'll find out uh when the tax was.

K

First enacted: okay, thank you and yeah. It's interesting.

D

It just strikes me as like a pretty inequitable uh policy, but I I lost sight of the timer uh president volin, but.

D

If I have one more for that's, what we're kind of doing is using our time you have.

B

Another minute and a half I'm still working on getting it back up.

D

Go ahead, yeah mayor hamilton, if you could speak just a little bit to.

D

What you envision um public interaction, looking with.

D

Looking like uh around um you know, uh funding priorities and decision.

D

Making would there be sort of public outreach and meetings were public.

D

Give input would public members actually be involved in uh some sort of advisory body, or um you know, um decision making.

D

Structure like that, uh if you could just talk a little bit more about that.

D

And what your vision is sure um and let me begin by saying, I'm look. I'm.

J

Really happy to explore that, with all of you.

J

um We obviously have substantial public input entities.

J

Through many of the boards and commissions that we have.

J

First and foremost, is the city council, as the elected representatives who have.

J

The deepest familiarity with the budgets and the dynamics of the budgets and the.

J

Balancing of all the needs that do should, I think, inform.

J

This kind of uh setting, but I'm really open to thinking about how best to.

J

Do that I I do think the council is um at the center of this to think about.

J

How this matches and mixes uh with the priorities.

J

Of the budget overall, uh that we that we talk about and I'm.

J

Open to whether it's a you know, the chairs of seven different.

J

Commissions that are there some new entity that involves with with.

J

Input from the public, I think it's going to be an annual.

J

Discussion that will help lead into the uh city budget process, so it should.

J

Probably kind of happen in the first half of the year, if you will.

J

To lead into the city budget building process, but.

J

Open to discuss how that best can be done practically.

J

B

I see council member smith and then council rosenberger. Thank you.

I

Thank you, mayor hamilton, for the presentation, so.

I

um I'm not going to try to rain on our parade too much.

I

But I've had some constituent questions that I thought.

I

Would be good to to ask at this point.

I

Jan writes she's on fixed income she's a senior, and she worries that.

I

It's going to be harder for her and her friends that are on fixed incomes.

I

To to deal with this increase, and so she asks.

I

Won't the federal government reimburse the city for some of these.

I

Lost funds that.

I

That's going to happen during the the revenue shortfalls.

J

Well, it's a it's a good question, certainly sensitive to that question.

J

I hope the federal government will do some things. There's no guarantee that.

J

They will what they've done so far is mostly focused on actual.

J

Direct uh ppe and cares act. Expenses uh we've.

J

Otherwise figured out ways to to put to put revenue and and assets.

J

That we have to work, um you know, I, I think what I want to.

J

Emphasize is that it is up to us to dedicate this. This revenue, which I.

J

Understand is, is it's revenue that comes from our.

J

Pockets, all of collectively and and no doubt uh we need, we need to be.

J

Very sensitive to that government needs to take action to.

J

Protect the quality of life of people like jan and many others.

J

For example, area 10 agency on aging has a lot of programs that are really.

J

Important and- and we need to do our part- to help support.

J

Those we need to help get get affordable, senior living, centers.

J

Built which we've been doing as a city to try to lower affordability costs, we.

J

Need to improve mobility options so jan or a.

J

Senior may not need a car or a second car if it's a two-person household so that they can get by with much less cost.

J

You know we, we need to focus our investments in ways that will.

J

Improve opportunity and quality of life for people.

J

Look, it would be, it would be different if bloomington were at the top of the.

J

Tax scale and we felt like we were a high tax place, but we are not. We are the opposite. We are a high.

J

Aspiration community and high expectation community.

J

With low revenues, uh and in order to to provide the kind of services, the.

J

Programming through our parks department, the the the physical infrastructure that people want to see in the community, we.

J

Have to have revenue to do that to create that quality line.

I

Another another one of my constituents asks.

I

Why can't the city ju pull in there tighten their belt.

I

And uh cut some services or some extras whatever you want to call it in order to.

I

Help make up the shortfall. Well, we we do tighten our belt. uh I think.

J

We've talked to you about the 2021 budget is a very tight budget.

J

We've tried to restrict what we're doing we're using reserves to protect from.

J

Layoffs and other things look, we could tighten our belt by not.

J

Doing that big list of things that I just shared with you, that would be tightening our belt. From my perspective, to say: we're not gonna fund a tdm program and we're not gonna.

J

Fund uh jack hopkins in that way, and then those are things we could choose to.

J

Do I I personally think that's the wrong thing for the for the uh for the government. I think it will diminish the future of our.

J

Community and people in it, uh but we do need to continue to look how do we? You know we only added 1.6 ftes when.

J

When our population and our demands are going up way more than that, as a.

J

Percentage we're trying to restrict investments that don't need to.

J

Be done, but on the other hand, I do think government's job is to invest in the right things that will help our.

J

Community recover.

I

And then I think I have one more.

I

I

We have this divide now between the city and the county.

I

um So that seems, it seems hard uh in my mind.

I

So is there have we negotiated with the county about the local income tax at.

I

All, even since the it was proposed um at.

I

Your state of the state on january first, oh yeah, we've we've been talking with.

J

Them I talked to some county members today and over the past week. I I do think it's important to remember that this county-wide tax.

J

Is being imposed only if a majority of the people of the county.

J

Vote for it by their elected representatives, you know most of the.

J

County residents are city residents, and so it isn't, it is lined up as a.

J

Democracy, those who represent most people are are.

J

Voting to impose it or not, um we will continue. I have continued. I.

J

Just talked even today to the president county council about.

J

Collaborating on legislative changes and approaches and, of course, every day.

J

We work very closely with the county on many many issues, but on this tax raising.

J

Issue, they have a different take and I respect that. But I think we have to do what's right for our community and then again.

J

We can go to the legislature together and try to get the get the kind of local autonomy that I think we all would support.

I

Thank you, I think my time's up, but thank you for those responses.

B

uh Thank you, mr smith. I'll take that opportunity to point out that I have.

B

Managed to get the clock up on video, so I will be trying to limit everyone to.

B

Five minutes, council members and members of the public included.

B

uh Councilwoman uh scandalory did, I did somebody else, have their hand up.

B

Because we're rosenberger somebody else, yep, that's where rosenberger, I think was.

B

Next yeah, it makes no difference, but thank you.

N

Thanks mayor for your presentation, it was good to see some of those stats.

N

Especially uh breaking down by income that.

N

Over 50 of the tax will come from people making over 100k, so that was really.

N

Useful for me to see those numbers, um so I know this.

N

Is a regressive tax and we talked about this a little bit before.

N

That's something we can't change, but is there any way we can do something like.

N

Offer a tax credit to households making something like under 40k.

N

To give money back in some way, we looked at that uh and so far as we.

J

Can tell we don't have any legal authority to rebate taxes like that, the we'll we'll continue to explore what we.

J

Can and ms guthrie may want to weigh in, but I think that, as we've discussed with various legal advisors,.

J

In and out of government, the best we can do is dedicate the funding to.

J

Programs, resources that will flow to serve the public, but a direct.

J

Individual tax rebate is not something that we're allowed to do so far.

N

Okay, thank you and one other question for now.

N

I have received a lot of emails going both ways on this, as I think a lot of us.

N

Have um and a lot of these worry about.

N

Transparency and accountability for the spending.

N

On the slides that showed over the year like projected over the years.

N

um There were more projects, of course, than we can really spend with this money.

N

So, just sort of like looking at all those options, can you go over in greater detail? How you.

N

Are planning to select which projects will get funded.

J

Well again, that's something I'd like to talk with you all about.

J

Once we decide to have the tax is what process.

J

Do you think is best I I would, uh I think.

J

We we know that it has to be part of the budget process.

J

Ultimately, we would like and are proposing to have a separate.

J

Discrete new fund that is set up exclusively to receive money and.

J

Appropriate money for this uh from this tax and for these.

J

Purposes that will be very transparent and reporting happy to use existing.

J

Commissions, council interactions, as you wish, to see.

J

We've talked about in the budget advance or in a different approach.

J

I'm trying to kind of stay flexible about that and think about.

J

Different ways we can do it most effectively. I think we want.

J

Public input and public reaction, we want transparency and accountability goals.

J

Reports, those kinds of things are really important to me overall, as.

J

You know we report on hundreds of goals and and outcomes in our budget. You.

J

Would want to do the same with this.

N

Okay, thanks very much.

B

Thank you any other first round questions who has not yet asked a.

B

Question because I'd like to take a crack at it, if.

B

Everyone else has asked the first round question.

B

um Mr mayor again, thank you for your presentation.

B

And I very much appreciate the leadership you're showing here. I.

B

Know it's a difficult ask. I think that.

B

One of the um the the issues that.

B

Council members may have with the tax is uh that you know it's.

B

uh Not exactly like the council.

B

Has much subtlety in their ability to change how it will be allocated.

B

To that end, I wonder what would you say if we were to ask that you allocate.

B

All the money from the fund as a block to the council, which would then.

B

Decide how to distribute it like it were jack hopkins money.

B

Even though it wouldn't go to grant it wouldn't go to grants to not-for-profits.

B

Instead, it would be for the council to decide.

B

uh You know that while the um the administration could and shouldn't.

B

Propose how it be used for money from this fund that it be.

B

Wholly the domain of the council to decide how it be spent, what would you say to that.

J

Well, I welcome I welcome suggestions and ideas.

J

um I I do think um realistically that this these funds, which we do want to.

J

Target towards a number of potential uses.

J

Are inevitably integrated into the larger city budget and.

J

They have an impact on the city budget as a whole.

J

And I think it it's important that they be.

J

Both from you and from the administration which develops the budget.

J

And implements the budget after you approve it uh that it be done in a you know, in an integrated and.

J

Intelligent way, um you know we we.

J

You you, you allocate the money and we and we.

J

We administer it uh and I'm happy to discuss it. I.

J

I don't you know with ps lit, for example, if you made that.

J

Suggestion that the ps lit money be separately appropriated from the other.

J

Public safety funds that would be a very complicated.

J

um Process I mean, I think it's it's important for.

J

To heart department heads, you know they they bring budget.

J

Presentations forward and suggestions into the.

J

Office of the mayor and we have to integrate demands from very many different department, heads and such and that's a that's, a important and complicated process. But I'm open to discussion.

J

I just I just think it's it's. It's still within the.

J

Responsibility of fashioning a coherent and effective.

J

Overall budget, and with with these special.

J

New funds to achieve new objectives that we agree on.

B

Certainly, well I mean uh that's. The thing is that.

B

The council only has an ability to agree uh broadly.

B

Through a vote on the overall budget, um uh if- and I I take your example to heart.

B

The ps lit example, uh you know there's only.

B

Two or three departments that get that money, some of it like.

B

Dispatches off the top um and so you're right in that case, it.

B

Would not make sense, but here you're, proposing a panoply of.

B

Different programs and some.

B

Members may think have more merit than others, and yet.

B

You know, as you saw with the last recover forward, app or.

B

Last month uh we are limited in our ability to.

B

uh Move dollars around, we can only cut dollars.

B

uh On programs that we think aren't meritorious.

B

And that's kind of a meat cleaver approach when scalpel is called for so.

B

You know, because you're proposing a variety of different programs, it seems.

B

Like members ought to have more uh pinpoint control over some of.

B

Those choices: what would you say to that.

J

I didn't know if my lawyers wanted to speak she's.

J

My size here since I don't know if I said anything that she wants to correct.

J

But but oh I just wanted to make one comment.

M

I I think we would have to look at that suggestion, because.

M

um It it may undercut the statutory authority, which requires.

M

The mayor to adopt the capital plan so.

M

I mean getting input into the capital plan is one thing but saying.

M

Well, I don't need to do a capital plan, I'm just giving you this chunk of money.

M

And you decide I'm not sure he could actually do that.

M

So I would have to look at that. I'm not sure either but- and I appreciate.

B

That answer, uh but I think it does indicate sort of.

B

One of the overarching concerns uh that the council may have.

B

That's my time, we'll go now to a second round of questions from members.

B

I see council members, rallo piedmont, smith,.

B

And scandaleria in that order, followed by fountain council over sims.

B

Mr rallo, please go ahead. Thank you. President. Mayor hamilton, I.

G

Want to reiterate something that you said in your introduction, and this is anticipating questions from the.

G

Public who, uh regarding what you recognize.

G

What I recognize is the urgency of acting right now.

G

But the public would like to delay and this really made jeopardize our.

G

Ability to act.

G

Is that am I correct.

J

Yes, look I I. um These are complicated times.

J

um uh I I I very much wish that we had the local authority to.

J

Decide a city tax and to decide a progressive city tax.

J

When we wanted to put it in place, and if that were the land that we lived.

J

In we would probably be having a very different discussion right now.

J

That is not the land we live in, and I have to say that.

J

I think if we are trying to protect our city's future.

J

The best thing we can do is to put this tax in place.

J

And then go to the legislature in the spring in january february, even before.

J

Then to say: look this isn't the way we wanted to do it.

J

This is the way we had to do it. Why don't you let the city of bloomington enact our own income tax.

J

And we will adjust it, we'll change it. If we don't have that position, however, I'm.

J

Quite concerned that we may not have that authority to act in the future. I.

J

Can't know that I just know, based on some of the.

J

Legislation that was proposed last session earlier this spring, they actually the state legislature.

J

Could take significant action to diminish the city's chance.

J

To chart our own future that way.

G

All right, thank you.

B

Councilman piedmont, smith,.

E

Yes, I wanted to ask um if this increase in the lit.

E

Passes this fall.

E

And if the state legislature decides to.

E

Give all of the power over the lit to the county government.

E

Could the county government rescind the increase that was passed, this fall.

J

Well, I don't, I don't know um it's difficult to rescind a tax. That's put.

J

Into place, but I uh particularly if we have.

J

Relied upon the tax to do significant programs.

J

That you're proposing some actions that I.

J

I I can't say anything's impossible, but I don't think that that would.

J

That would generally be a problem around the state if.

J

New entities could repeal taxes that other entities have put in place.

J

But they're very creative, I'm not sure you're.

J

You're thinking creatively, uh which, which is probably.

J

Smart to do, I don't know if anybody has a view on that, but.

J

We can, we can think about that some more. I still think we just have to do.

J

The best that we can for for our people and our future.

J

uh And and trust that we can go, uh maybe maybe create some more flexibility for.

J

The future at the legislature, okay,.

E

And I have another question if I may- um and this is to follow up what.

E

Councilmember flaherty was asking about with the property tax relief.

E

So I'm sorry I'm a layperson when it comes to taxes.

E

um So mr underwood may have to go into greater depth.

E

So it looks like there's: 0.0518 percent.

E

Of our current lit goes to property tax relief.

E

What does that actually mean? Does that mean that we.

E

Refund property taxes for some people in monroe county out of.

E

Our lit revenues- yes, that's crazy! Sorry! Well! It was.

K

I think just again, I'm going off memory here and we'll.

K

We'll verify before the next meeting and get you a little bit more background.

K

On property, tax relief uh was, it was the negotiation for the you know.

K

The ability for uh local units of government to enact a local income tax.

K

uh Was that some of that could be allocated to property tax relief.

K

For that very reason, and the fact you know we have a large council, you.

K

Have county council city council, ellisville town council in scienceville.

K

Is that this would allow for some relief on property taxes.

K

I believe it can. The max it can be is capped at 1.25 percent.

K

I'm gonna double check. I was doing some googling, while you guys were talking but.

K

It looks like the cap on that's 1.25, so we're below the maximum, but who decides.

E

How much of our lit revenues go towards property tax relief.

K

I believe that gets adopted by the county, but I'll I'll it'll either be the.

K

County or the uh the county, fiscal body or the tax.

J

Council advocating in favor of that I know I.

E

Know the questions, but uh it's kind of.

E

Tangential, but it's just no, I get it, but it's a it's a fair.

J

Question I I don't think it's on the table right now, but maybe it ought to be in the future. I think that's a fair question.

E

Okay, well, mr underwood, I can get that information from you.

E

Later on, then thanks. Thank you, I'm interested in the answer to that too.

B

Okay, uh next would be councilmember scandaloury, followed by councilmember.

B

Sims. Thank you. um Two questions. One of.

L

One of the themes kind of running through this conversation is the notion of uncertainty in the legislature in.

L

In how quickly our recovery will go- and I agree, I think, that's kind of a factor.

L

That's influencing our thinking on passing a lit right now um has any.

L

Thought- and I asked this in the work session on friday- has any thought been given to building in a sunset date.

L

Have there been any further conversations, or is that not something we're interested? In doing? uh We appreciate the question we we have.

J

Been talking and thinking about it, I think the short answer is: I'm not sure that we can. I certainly welcome.

J

And I think it's appropriate to review and for any future council to review.

J

The the income tax uh to see its uses and.

J

Impact and it's I don't have any problem with saying we ought to review it at.

J

Five years, I don't know of a legal way to put a.

J

Sunset in um uh certainly, if you, if you do any.

J

Bonding against it that, of course, gets gets uh different, but um I think what I.

J

Would suggest is that we very consciously and intentionally say.

J

Are we getting the bang for our buck out of this that we that we want to, I mean we should do that with the s-lit.

J

uh We should do it with edie lit and actually with every.

J

Dollar that we appropriate are we getting what we want out of it.

L

Thank you um and something I'm just curious about.

L

When we first were introduced to the idea of an increase in the lit.

L

um Back in your remarks on january 1st, one of the biggest elements was transit.

L

And I think- and I know that perhaps several of us found that very.

L

Very compelling and exciting to think about um and transit is kind of the biggest chunk taken out.

L

Of this revised proposal, I'd just be interested in the thinking.

L

And the conversation process that brought you to that.

J

Absolutely well you're right, actually, the the 0.5 that.

J

That I talked about in january was meant to be roughly 0.25 for transit and 0.25.

J

For everything else, um frankly, what we have today is the.

J

0.25 for everything else, for a couple reasons, one the main one.

J

Is transit companies the main one is transit is in such.

J

Uncertain times and tumultuous operations right now that it's very.

J

Difficult to know how it should and could be enhanced.

J

um It did get about eight million dollars to reference the federal money.

J

Which can help back to council member smith? It count it did get.

J

About eight million dollars of direct federal money to transit, which is really.

J

Important to help them get through this. um The other reason I would say that is.

J

I think there is a lot of support for a transit supporting income tax down.

J

The road that would be adopted by everybody I.

J

Think to support transit, so I don't, I think.

J

There's not an emergency need for that, because they're very uncertain operations right now and they have the federal money to get them.

J

Through what they need to get through and when time comes, I'm less worried.

J

That we'll all be able to come together and support a new transit.

J

Support so, uh and and also that the 0.25 tax is.

J

Much less onerous than a point: five percent tax on everybody in these.

J

Difficult times- and I I guess what I'm wondering, though,.

L

Is why is transit and its future more uncertain than.

L

Anything else it seems, like everything is uncertain at some degree of uncertainty and everything merits our attention.

L

In terms of recovering forward and positioning ourselves for what.

L

The next era of transit might look like in bloomington.

L

um Why is transit different? I guess with my question.

J

I guess I mean it's a good. It's a good question makes sense.

J

I'll try to answer, I mean transit. The volume is way down. They don't need.

J

To run more service than the way they might have where they had routes that were overcrowded, it's unclear.

J

What the demand is going to be for transit? There are certainly.

J

Important ways to think about its changes, I guess when I think about.

J

Recover forward and really trying to help our community right now, we, the most important things, seem to me.

J

The kind of list that we're looking at that are creating jobs that are helping.

J

People get jobs that are helping the social safety net that are helping.

J

Farmers and and and artists that are that are really.

J

Struggling right now, our transit system is actually.

J

Kind of meeting the needs that are out there they're in a way.

J

Running buses that are emptier than they typically have been so.

J

It's a it's just. A very different system need right now from my perspective, but.

L

Okay, we are investing some in transit, as you know, to help their.

J

Infrastructure and accessibility, but not nearly. I think there is a good.

J

A good reason to think about that down the road as another.

J

Level of investment- great, thank you. Thank you, councilmember sims. Thank you.

H

Thank you, mayor hamilton, for the report, um and will we get a copy of those.

H

Slides that that was part of your presentation, we normally do so I'd like yeah. Thank you. I'd like to have that.

H

And also, in addition to thanking you, I'd like to thank.

H

Our public, because I think many of us have received.

H

Comments input some in opposition and some in support.

H

um So I think that's important for the public to participate. um I have.

H

A comment I might try to form it in a question.

H

I don't quite know how it's going to sound at this point.

H

uh But we've talked about the potential impact of lit.

H

um But one of the things that I'm not hearing yet from a.

H

More um open, a more transparent position is that looming, and I do believe this is.

H

Within next calendar year, um a rate increase from.

H

Utilities- um and you can correct me if I'm wrong.

H

On that, and I think we're also looking at increases.

H

From our township government with regard to the fire protection districts,.

H

And I don't think we've kind of formulated that.

H

So that gives you a more fuller picture of.

H

These investment and impacts um on folks, in particular in the city, so I don't.

H

Know how you could do that? I don't know if that's even possible.

H

But I think that would be a clearer picture on the impacts.

H

At least in my way of thinking, in particular with some of our.

H

Lower income- folks, um there was talk, I think it was in the.

H

Work session um that there was a mechanism that.

H

Instead of the the lit starting on january 1st, I thought there.

H

Was a mechanism that it could possibly we could.

H

Wait a little while do some the same process.

H

But the lit tax would start in october. First.

H

Did I miss hear that um and and I'm not so much advocating that, and I also know.

H

That that will be a net loss of three million dollars.

H

Roughly, um which don't do a lot with for right now, but we get one million as.

H

Opposed to the four million, um but I also I'm wondering if more.

H

Time, which is some of the the letters in opposition that I'm hearing.

H

um How would that affect where moving forward- um and I know it's.

H

Not something that that's being advocated at this point, um but what are your thoughts on that? As far as waiting with that process.

H

Knowing that we'll lose some of that revenue, sure.

J

um And let me go back to your first uh questions.

J

About uh first of the the township fire district uh fee changes would apply.

J

To people in the townships outside city limits so.

J

Far as I know, they're not changing the fire protection costs for those who are.

J

Inside city limits, but it would just be for those township.

J

Services and members who are outside city limits getting.

J

Change in their fire protection that their their rates could change, but not.

J

City residents, um on the on the rate increase for the.

J

Water we have, I have asked cbu to be more.

J

Consistent and regular and absolutely transparent.

J

About more regular, four-year cycles on on reviewing.

J

The rates, of course, we were subject to utility regulatory commission and.

J

Many of those you know that you've been on the commission, but it's it's fair.

J

That I I have asked the city of bloomington utilities to be.

J

More transparent and regular about the timing of those.

J

Of those things, um so there is one plan we actually pushed it off because of.

J

The recession and it's this year into next year to try to.

J

Try to ameliorate that um on the timing of the tax, so.

J

Yes, under state law, if, if the lid is not imposed.

J

uh Before november 1st, if it's, if the vote is effective after november.

J

First, the tax is not collected until late. The.

J

Following year, so in this circumstance, late, 2021 uh and and in some ways that may be reasonable and seem appealing my concern.

J

Very directly is that if we took that path.

J

I believe it's quite possible. The legislature could.

J

Override that, in the meantime, the state legislature could choose to change how.

J

Tax gets imposed, it would not be being collected. Yet I'm.

J

I'm highly expected that they could say well.

J

This tax has been voted on, but we're going to change the way you have to impose this tax that hasn't been collected yet so we can step in and do.

J

That so that's the main concern I have is that we would be depending upon the actions of the state legislature.

J

Which um I I would rather go and talk to them.

J

With the tax in place so that we can discuss how to.

J

Adjust it in ways that we think would give the city more independence rather than go and hope that they don't change.

J

Something that they could very well change, just like they did this year.

J

When we announced the plan to do the tax, they immediately.

J

Quickly changed the way the tax is put in place to make it more difficult to do.

J

B

Further second round questions from members.

B

Anyone who has not asked a second round question.

B

B

B

All right, we are at the end of the second round of questions.

B

I'd like to go to the public for comment on resolution 2013.

B

uh I will ask people to keep to five minutes.

B

um I had a couple of people raise hands uh early, so I'd like uh to call on.

B

Tyler kane and then randy paul to speak. First.

B

uh If the clerk would unmute uh tyler cain, if he's still on the call.

C

I am attempting to find them on the list if they are not there.

B

Then we will move on to mr paul. I do not see tyler kane if they could.

C

Raise their hand.

B

Now that I think they may have dropped off the call.

C

uh Let's continue on to mr randy paul randy.

C

Paul is unmuted. Can you hear me all right.

O

Yes, please go ahead, I don't think I've ever spoke first on one of these things.

O

um Congratulations yeah. Thank you. I don't question really anybody's voting.

O

Whether they're for or against this, I think everybody comes to it with a.

O

With the best of intentions, my concern is, I think, decision makers, oftentimes.

O

Look at taxes through the lens of their own personal experiences and.

O

Usually it's usually middle income or upper income or wealthy perspective, and I honestly believe that unless you have been.

O

In a position of being in poverty, you never really understand.

O

The hardship and the challenges that they face on a daily basis.

O

And I think that while I respect mayor hamilton's.

O

Discussion of values- I think there are many people myself, including who do not.

O

Consider values being budgeting or balancing.

O

Budgets on the back of the poor and while that short chart shows that.

O

Lower income people pay a less percent, they don't live in a vacuum, they pay a.

O

Higher percent of their income in food costs and housing and health.

O

Care child care they're not making it now and.

O

This pandemic has made it even worse for them, and so I think when I hear things like you know, they're, this is an equitable.

O

Taxes they're paying less. They can't afford to pay anything more.

O

And usually the response I get from that is.

O

Well, the offsets on this tax will help them as far as weatherization.

O

And transportation, that's fine, but bills come in monthly.

O

And offsets come in months and years and issues won't come fast enough to.

O

Help the people that are really hurting right now, and so I think, to ron smith's comments. I think there's a real danger. You're.

O

Going to have this community has enough friction going on and disagreements.

O

I think if this council somehow imposes a tax on the county.

O

And the people of low income in the county are going to have to experience this without having a direct voice. I think you're going to have even more.

O

Division and strife within our community if you're talking about a community that.

O

Includes the county, if you're talking about community and only talking about bloomington, I think you're looking at problems down.

O

The road, I would hope that we would delay this.

O

uh And focus on the people, who can at least afford it versus focusing on the.

O

People who can't afford it thanks.

B

Thank you uh who is next, who like to speak.

B

Ms mcdowell.

C

Next is, I believe, ilana stonebreaker and they are unmuted awesome. Please.

B

Go ahead, oh thank you. um So once again, my name is elena. Stonebreaker. I've been.

P

To a couple of the meetings about both of the previous mayor's tax.

P

0.5 and just his background, um I was on the tippecanoe county council.

P

Previously and I have passed a public safety lit, so I have been through.

P

Some of the aspects of this problem before I moved here in january- and I was.

P

Initially, really excited when I heard about the sustainability tax.

P

um But then really trouble because I didn't really see a plan.

P

And I gave a public comment in march just concerned and frustrated.

P

That we didn't really have like an idea for how the mechanisms were working.

P

And I feel like now, you know not even two weeks from.

P

Possibly adopting the tax, we still don't have.

P

Answers to many important questions, such as.

P

Why is it an economic development lit and not.

P

A certified sharers right um that would give.

P

Other um parts, such as libraries uh share of that, in addition to city.

P

Government, um I also I'm worried that the mayor hasn't.

P

Presented a specific problem and then a solution that is, that is.

P

Solved with this tax it, besides the problem that there's not.

P

Enough money, um I understand that need, um but I think.

P

That the economic development tax is not necessarily the best mechanism for dealing with that particular problem.

P

And I know, since I don't see a definite problem, I also don't see a definite.

P

Solution here we've been having conversations major major implementation ideas coming out from allocating all the.

P

Money to the city council to allocating it to.

P

This um the the proposed 216.

P

Which also includes um a potential additional board, with kind of not clear.

P

Ideas on how we'll keep that group transparent and accountable.

P

And down to the idea that um all the proposed projects seem to be.

P

Somewhat theoretical right- um and I think I'm really troubled by.

P

um The mayor's comment that, if we don't get, if we don't uh fund this tax, that we.

P

Won't fund these projects that we've already agreed as a community are important to us as a community.

P

So I think if there are projects that are important to us- and there are things.

P

That are important to us, like sustainability.

P

I think it's really important that we bring that to the table with other.

P

Things um and really have that conversation as a community and not just put out new things that we're passionate about.

P

And then say we can't have those things unless we add this additional tax.

P

um Just as a final thing, um I've talked to a couple of different people, both in.

P

The city and the county- um I think we've got some great public officials here and I look forward to having a longer conversation about this.

P

Tax in the future, thank you. Thank you.

B

Who is next? Who wishes to speak, madam clerk.

C

Next is uh greg alexander and they are unmuted.

Q

You have five minutes, sir. Please go ahead. Hi, I'm greg alexander.

Q

um I totally agree with uh the last comment.

Q

um I wanted to read uh well, this is a paraphrase actually, because there's.

Q

Mostly, this is a bullet point from the letter.

Q

From the county council, they said during uncertain times it.

Q

Would be unwise to increase the tax burden without a manifest plan for its use and um the first half of that.

Q

Statement, I I, I simply don't see any merit to it. I remember the 2008.

Q

Recession I kept my job and people who kept their job through the.

Q

2008 recession they're the people who continued to pay.

Q

Income tax and they were not facing the biggest struggles at that time.

Q

um I hope to keep my job this time, I'm not facing the biggest struggles.

Q

Of this, certainly not economically anyways.

Q

And so I don't think the uncertainty of the time really.

Q

Matters one bit or another: the people who are really hurting.

Q

Are going to be losing their income and they're not going to be paying as much tax? Because of that? On the other hand, the second half of.

Q

That, though, I just I couldn't agree more strongly with, we need a manifest plan for its use. If we're going to be.

Q

Raising taxes, even a very small cost for people who.

Q

Don't have much income, we owe them this. That explains how it's going to.

Q

Benefit them, and I think transit is just such a.

Q

Real low hanging fruit there, because there's almost no other way to fund.

Q

Transit that I know of anyways that we have a local uh impact on and it really does make an immediate.

Q

Difference in the lives of people who don't have any money like people will not immediately go out and sell their car, but one day their car will break down and they'll be like. Oh, I only have to wait. 15 minutes for the bus.

Q

And that's an experience that a low income person really has when their car.

Q

Breaks down, they really do immediately go to the bus, whereas.

Q

Somebody with a little bit more money, they go for a you know. They borrow a car from someone or they rent one, and we just need to.

Q

Have a better bus system if you go on the.

Q

Buses that are not full of students, they are full of visibly low income people um and, if you see like a low-income person, if.

Q

Their kid, their 16-year-old kid doesn't get a car the moment they turn 16. You know they ride the bus. My friends that lived out.

Q

On like a quarry lane very low-income family, he rode the bus.

Q

You know it's it's just such a no-brainer that that, if you want to actually help people, we got to ride the bus, but anyways. We definitely have to have a plan.

Q

That is a little bit more specific than composting.

Q

You know, um and I I wanna I wanna- draw attention to.

Q

You know sidewalks really need money, but they're.

Q

They're pure capital- um and I think there are other ways to fund that I.

Q

Think you could probably use tiff or bonding or different different ways to pay for sidewalks. But another thing: bicycle infrastructure got.

Q

Referenced and I mean I really I'm excited to see some funding.

Q

For bicycle infrastructure, but it doesn't the thing bicycle infrastructure needs. The most is the political willpower.

Q

To reduce automobile speeds, if we have that willpower, it only costs.

Q

10 or 20 thousand dollars per intersection to install.

Q

Low cost uh low delay, we could install it all next.

Q

Over the next year, bump outs and ways to slow cars down at intersections.

Q

And to slow cars down the middle of the street, a protected bike lane does not.

Q

Need to be like, I love what they did on adam street between kirkwood and third.

Q

Street, but it does not need to be that complicated. It does not need to be that expensive. We need the political.

Q

Willpower and we need to develop that political willpower before we ask people to pay for infrastructure, because that.

Q

Infrastructure will, frankly, it will suck if we don't have that political willpower. So let's develop the willpower to do cheap and.

Q

Effective bicycle projects, I haven't seen no evidence from any.

Q

Staff that they think you're at all serious about that, but I know I've heard several of you talk about that anyways fund, the bus. Thank you very much.

C

Next, thank you next is, and they are unmuted.

B

You'll have five minutes. Please go ahead.

R

Hello, um my name is quinton depper, uh I'm an iu student here and also a.

R

A townie, and um so you talk about energy conservation.

R

You've mentioned that I don't know what that means.

R

uh Does it mean weatherizing municipal buildings.

R

Does it mean providing loans for people in the city to weatherize their homes.

R

So that we're conserving more energy as a city.

R

um I would really like to see what that's.

R

Even um supposed to mean, because if we're only really.

R

Conserving energy in, like our municipal buildings,.

R

I don't really see how um that's really an.

R

Equitable use of the lit you know that money then.

R

Isn't you know, how does that benefit a low-income person.

R

It doesn't um and on the topic of public transportation,.

R

You talked about how right now um a lot less people are riding the buses.

R

You know bt's needs are met, that's fine that it's met right now, but.

R

um You know in about a year, hopefully.

R

You know, classes are back in person and um when I would ride the buses last year,.

R

They were always full every single time I got on the bus. It was completely full.

R

It was impossible to socially distance, I mean, if we're ever going to have.

R

In-Person classes again, um you know kids they're.

R

Going to need to get to those classes using the bus and in order to actually.

R

Do that, in a way, that's you know safe. um Presumably, there.

R

Will still be a virus, the only way to do that.

R

Is to have more buses. um I know people who would like to rely on.

R

The bus right now and um they're afraid to.

R

Because they remember how full those buses were.

R

um These students really need. We want more buses, uh we're not.

R

Anti-Bust and bloomington doesn't really have like.

R

The parking infrastructure to support uh students all having their own cars.

R

And you talk about bike, biking, infrastructure, but.

R

We don't really have good biking infrastructure right now. I mean I ride.

R

My bike to iu every day and there's potholes in the bike lines. It's it's a mass.

R

So I would like to see more funding for public transportation and I would really.

R

Like to just see an uh elaboration of what.

R

Ever energy conservation is supposed to mean.

R

And if it does mean weatherization, you know um make sure that you're.

R

Weatherizing homes for lower income people, I think.

R

That would be a fantastic way to lower their costs and just you know.

R

Help them live more comfortably, I'm sure there's plenty of people who.

R

Would love that? um Thank you very much. That's all. I have.

R

B

Thank you. We go to the next speaker. Next is alex goodlad and they should be.

C

Unmuted you'll have five minutes hello.

S

S

Okay, is this timer running down? Okay, it is.

T

um Awesome so um where, where do I start.

S

I guess uh so I'm I. I have not too much familiarity, but.

S

You know enough familiarity with uh the city budget.

S

um And uh what's needed, and I I mean I I want to like this proposal.

S

Is is what I'm getting at, because um because there there needs to.

S

Be a bigger um chunk of the pie to um properly.

S

Invest in the city um that that's as far as where I agree.

S

With uh the mayor um and uh and I think.

S

We really owe it to the community, especially those that are underserved to.

S

um Kind of listen to where they're, struggling and.

S

I kind of say that, with um the caveat that.

S

um There's there's a lot of anti-tax arguments in the discussion and.

S

And- and I think that um I I don't quite buy the notion that.

S

That the tax itself, the you know, 25 dollars per.

S

10K is going to be responsible for doom and gloom.

S

If, if it's imposed, but it's important that if, if we're gonna.

S

Increase the tax and then put new money and invest new money that should be.

S

In the right place and um you've, you've heard it from a lot of.

S

People who you know are um climate activists and.

S

And people who know what they're talking about quentin, deppard and.

S

Ohana, um stone, breaker and and etc, um and.

S

And, and and and their words are important, that.

S

They're, really not um too um too impressed by uh by what's.

S

um By what's being by what's being proposed,.

S

In in particular, um there's just not a plan and and there's and and and.

S

Not enough of a plan um and not enough transparency to the community, I know.

S

That um there's an ordinance now being considered, and I want to address the ordinance that's supposed to bring.

S

More transparency because I don't think that's been discussed yet and and then I'll. um I I think you get.

S

My point that I've said earlier, which is to um which is to which is it's. I got a second.

S

What quentin said and others have said, that it's got to go towards mass transit? Even if it's not a thing now, it has to be.

S

Invested later for the future, because because we know mass transit's going to fill up back right up eventually- and it's.

S

Going to be needed so invest like now um and.

S

Whatever way you can, um but with with this ordinance.

S

The the problem with it is that yeah it brings the committee.

S

And you have three people in the community and.

S

All recorded meetings and recommendations and that's great and all.

S

But the mayor can uh say no to those recommendations. If, if you look at the um ordinance closely.

S

It it kind of says in beautiful language that the mayor will.

S

um Generally kind of accept the recommendations, but.

S

Has the freedom to just say no, and all he has to do is write a reason to.

S

Say no um and, uh and and I I think that we we need.

S

The community needs more input and I think if we.

S

Wait on it and we we do something and take more time and get.

S

You know the county government and all these institutions that are that are on.

S

The same page with the needs of the city in the county to um to agree, I think that's the approach further and uh based on what we.

S

Have now I I wish that the mayor, um when he proposes he.

S

He didn't wait until january to talk about the tax and.

S

Then just changed it a bunch and uh and now it's not even.

S

What it originally was like, I think we need more time to plan it and bring the.

S

Community into it next time and I'll yield.

B

Thank you who's. The next speaker, please.

C

The next speaker is a written statement uh from dave askins.

C

That I will read if you give me one moment, please.

C

Actually, while I pull that up, I'm going to.

C

Allow the next speaker to speak, and that would be.

C

Daniel bingham and they should be unmuted.

B

You'll have five minutes. Please go ahead. Hi. My name is daniel bingham.

U

uh When the lit was first reproposed, I mean first off.

U

I was definitely in favor of the original 0.5 proposal.

U

In fact, I thought it needed to be the full.

U

Amount that we can raise it to 1.25 and presents, I presented a plan for what we.

U

Could do with that money to address carbon emissions um after the pandemic.

U

Hit after the the economy crashed, I assumed that was off the table um and when the 0.25 was first reopposed.

U

My gut instinct was: we should wait on this.

U

For at least another year, because people are hurting.

U

And we should let them recover the more I sat with that.

U

And thought about that and read about what is happening.

U

With climate and the more, I realized that this pandemic.

U

Is the is climate collapse? This is part of it we're already in it.

U

The more I realize that there isn't going to be a better time.

U

Things aren't going to get better. Yes, we will get a vaccine for this.

U

Pandemic, yes, we might start a recovery, economic.

U

Recovery but it won't last, there are going to be.

U

Rolling shots, that's that are going to come with.

U

Increasing frequency and they're already coming faster than.

U

Our worst expectations, they're already accelerating far worse.

U

Than we predicted worse than the expectations that the ipcc based their call.

U

To cut carbon emissions by half by 2030., they gave us a deadline.

U

And what we are experiencing is already coming faster and worse than they.

U

Predicted when they set that deadline, so there.

U

Isn't going to be a better time, we have to do multiple things at once. We.

U

Have to do our utmost to take care of people who are hurting.

U

While also cutting carbon emissions and restructuring society.

U

Drastically, we don't have a whole lot of money to work with.

U

I'd, I don't buy the argument that we have to pass this tax now or we might.

U

Not get the chance, I think, if that, if the state legislature.

U

Does that we work around that in other ways, um but I do think we do need to raise funds in order to.

U

Fund climate changes that said this plan.

U

That was presented tonight in the mayor's slides, and I wish those had been.

U

Posted ahead of time, so I could reference them, but this plan does not address carbon emissions adequately or even come.

U

Close, it makes some vague gestures in that.

U

Direction, it pays some lip service to it, but it is.

U

Far more about economic development, arts, social services than it is about.

U

Climate again, I do believe we need to do.

U

Multiple things at once, but every if this is really about addressing.

U

Climate change and again, if we don't do this, things are just.

U

Going to keep getting worse, more people and more people are gonna.

U

Get hurt and they're good, it's gonna keep accelerating. So we have.

U

To be addressing climate change first and foremost, every aspect of that.

U

Plan every dollar needs to go towards cutting carbon emissions somewhere. I did the math on what it will take for.

U

Us as a city to hit the ipcc's targets- and we are facing.

U

An it's going to take an overwhelming amount of money more than we have.

U

Frankly, which means the pittance that's in this.

U

Plan every dollar needs to be making progress.

U

You can do both the things that have already been.

U

Mentioned transit like this pandemic will pass. We will get a vaccine.

U

Eventually and transit will once again be really a really important part of our.

U

Transportation infrastructure um transit helps low-income people and.

U

Directly cuts carbon emissions weatherization helps low-income people.

U

Directly cuts carbon emissions. You can structure a solar energy program.

U

That would prioritize low-income people and help cut their utility bills.

U

And directly cut carbon emissions, uh you can prioritize housing.

U

That is dense that helps cut housing costs, while also.

U

Building the community, we need to be low, carbon.

U

We can prioritize bike infrastructure, which is much cheaper to get around on.

U

Than cars, and that helps low income people and we.

U

Can look for other ways in addition, but every dollar spent.

U

Needs to be directly cutting carbon emissions.

U

And I know for a lot of people that this is a hard ask.

U

And it's hard to wrap your head around the idea that this pandemic could be related to climate. I just listened to a radio lab episode.

U

Yesterday about new research, a new fungus showed.

U

Up in hospitals all across the world, out of nowhere all of a sudden, and it.

U

Was infecting people and it was killing them and they linked it directly to climate change because of increasing.

U

Temperatures and because of habitat loss the fungus had evolved so that our.

U

Natural body heat, which was our previous protection against it, no longer worked, it could live in our time. Mr bingham.

U

We're going to be facing more of this if we don't act.

B

Thank you, uh let's, who is the next speaker, mrs mcdonnell.

C

Next is the statement submitted by dave askins.

C

And I will read that now: dave asks dave askins with the b square beacon.

C

This is a question with a long wind up the ordinance authored by matt flaherty.

C

That's been added to the agenda, looks like it intends to create a new.

C

Group, that's supposed to be a kind of parallel to the food and beverage tax advisory commission, fabtech.

C

The statute for fabtech reads: quote the county or city legislative body.

C

May not adopt any ordinance or resolution.

C

Requiring the expenditure of food and beverage tax collected under this.

C

Chapter without the approval in writing of a.

C

Majority of the members of the advisory commission.

C

If you compare that to the language in the ordinance that is supposed to be.

C

First read: it mirrors that language exactly a key.

C

Difference is that fabtech is a creature of the state.

C

So it's the state legislature that is constraining the city council's.

C

Authority which we're accustomed to having it do.

C

For this ordinance to be first read tonight, it's the city council that would be in some sense constraining its own.

C

Authority or even ceding its authority to third party to get a sense of how dramatic this could be.

C

Consider this scenario: the mayor, eight council, members.

C

It would be six non-members and two members on the new commission.

C

Could want to approve an ordinance requiring expenditure of funds.

C

But if one council, member on the commission and the three citizens on the.

C

Commission said: no, it couldn't happen. That's why.

C

Creating this new commission effectively seeds the authority to approve this kind.

C

Of ordinance to a third party, it's one thing for the.

C

State legislature to constrain a city council's authority.

C

It's quite another thing for a city council to give this authority away.

C

My question has this issue been reviewed with respect to the same question of.

C

Constitutional law that is going to be argued in front of the indiana supreme.

C

Court on september 24th as a part of the case.

C

Known as city of bloomington, board of zoning appeals versus uj-80 corporation and.

C

The next uh speaker is joseph wagnea and they should be unmuted.

B

Please go ahead hi. This is joseph winia and I just wanted to first thank mayor.

T

Hamilton and the council for holding this special session.

T

And also preface my comment by saying that I am a new resident to the city.

T

And new to city politics, but that said I still just wanted to.

T

Express my support for the lit and also echo in general, mr.

T

Bingham's remarks and also the remark that was made by.

T

Council member rollo underscoring the urgency for the need for action and particularly with respect to the climate.

T

And that the cost of inaction will be far greater.

T

Than the cost of what's being proposed now.

T

And I just also wanted to underscore my personal interest in.

T

Seeing as much of the funds as possible being applied.

T

To climate-specific actions, because I think that those are going to.

T

Have an even greater economic impact in the very near term,.

T

Than just addressing the current economic.

T

Covet related cases and also wanted to just reiterate.

T

That mayor hamilton's, illustration of the city's income tax rate on a global scale, makes.

T

It seem clear to me that even this.

T

Proposed income tax is well within a reasonable bounds.

T

Especially for such a necessary application, so just wanted to express.

T

That and say thank you for the opportunity.

B

Thank you. The next speaker is natalia galvin.

C

And they are unmuted. Please go ahead, uh hello. My name is natalia galvin and.

V

Live in district 1., this lit was originally proposed as a.

V

Climate lit in january as a bloomington volunteer and organizer.

V

For the past couple years, never before have I seen a movement that.

V

Is so multi-generational, as with my work with climate change,.

V

Whether watching hundreds of k-12 students march through dunn, meadow.

V

Or come out to organizing meetings at harmony, these young bloomington.

V

Residents know that we are in a climate emergency and they will likely be impacted most to echo what daniel said as a community.

V

Member and organizer I'm happy to see um I'm happy to see our conversation.

V

Kind of go back to climate. With this I'm happy to see the ordinance 2016.

V

Being proposed in conjunction with the lit this ordinance, combined with the lit, addresses the critical need for collaboration between the mayor city, council and community members. We are in a climate emergency and we need to address the.

V

Social, economic and racial injustice, so racial justice and equities. Now this.

V

Can't wait, um I urge council to support both the ordinance and the lit if it is climate-minded and better fleshed.

V

Out with council input, we need your council leadership on this.

V

C

At this time there are no other raised hands.

C

uh Mr lucas is, has anyone contacted you.

F

I don't have any additional uh written comments from folks. Oh.

C

I apologize uh someone has just um written a question.

C

And I will read it now: okay, if it is appropriate.

B

Yes, please go ahead. This is from emily earnsberger from the ht.

C

um She indicates that she has a question that she would like to read.

C

She also says, while the report says, the tax would generate four million dollars.

C

Annually for the county, how much of that would be distributed to this city.

B

Okay, thank you. Members may take up uh questions.

B

Asked by members of the public, if they so choose in their.

B

Follow-Up questions after public comment last call for public comment on.

B

Resolution 2013.

B

Final call uh hearing nothing from the clerk we.

B

Will come back to the council for a follow-up round of questions? Are there.

B

Members with questions I see council member rallo, followed by.

B

Council member sandberg, mr allah go ahead.

G

Thank you, president volin. I wondered if we could have.

G

If she's prepared to have corporation counsel.

G

Guthrie, uh if she could respond to uh mr askin's inquiry.

G

About speeding authority of the council relative to that ordinance, I'd propose.

G

Ordinance uh order for the council I'd like to.

F

Suggest that ordinance 2016 is on the agenda tonight.

F

For first reading, um typically there's no debate or discussion of that item um upon first reading. um It's certainly.

F

A worthy question, um but unless the council wants to suspend the rules to debate that order, no.

G

Let me withdraw that. Let me withdraw that question. You're you're, quite.

G

Correct, I'm sorry, um my question, my other question was.

G

uh To control her underwood, um if he's still present- and that is.

G

That this is an economic development lit. Is it in terms of the capital.

G

Plan is it limited to, uh is, is transportation.

G

uh Not an option for an economic development list.

K

uh I believe it is, I think, phillippa could talk to that more than I.

K

Reality of transportation uses public transportation yeah. She wants to.

K

Jump in on that, yes, it is, it is allowable.

M

G

All right, that's all I have for now. Thank you.

B

Thank you. uh We go to council member uh sandberg, thank you and I would just want.

W

To follow up with the question from emily ersberger with respect to her question about um how the 4 million will be allocated.

W

Amongst the units.

K

uh The four units it could be distributed on the same basis as the.

K

Public safety lit so that the county would get.

K

Approximately the same amount as us just slightly less than that.

K

So their their shirt would be a little over four million dollars and the rest.

K

Would go to the town of ellisville and county steinsville, okay, and I hope that answers miss.

W

Hernsberger's question: thank you just to clarify yeah councilman. I think.

B

I think that um the point is that I think miss earnsberger's question implied that the total amount raised by the tax will be 4.

B

Million- it's not correct, it would be over eight million four of.

B

Which would go to the city and four we should go to the county roughly? Is that not correct? That's correct.

K

It's about 8.7 million dollars, total.

M

Thank you very good. Thank you. uh Further further follow-up.

B

B

Looking for raised hands, council, member piedmont, smith and then.

B

Councilmember smith, yes, thank you. I wanted to follow up on.

E

Ms stonebreaker's question as to why this proposal is proposed as an economic.

E

Development lit increase rather than a certified.

E

Shared increase.

E

I guess that would go to mr underwood or ms guthrie. I don't know.

J

I'm the mayor, I'm happy to take that too. If you want.

J

Or anyways, depending uh really it's it's been proposed as.

J

Meeting the needs that we've identified to bring in the revenue that we need to.

J

To address the needs that we have and that fit the economic development.

J

Proposal, it's been that way from the beginning.

J

If other jurisdictions want to propose a different approach or a different.

J

Tax, that's fine, but we haven't really heard that.

J

And it was designed to bring in the revenues.

J

For the city that we felt were appropriate to use.

E

And could you um could you speak to? uh Is there a difference in approach.

E

If the city or if the montreal county income tax council.

E

Wanted to increase the amount that went that was.

E

Distributed through certified shares is that a different is there a different.

E

Path to that, and does that factor into your.

E

Decision to put it through as and eat it, I don't.

J

Think it's a different path, but I I better be careful and see if.

J

Ms guthrie has a or mr underwood, I'm not sure, but I don't think it's a.

J

Significantly different path, no all of the.

M

uh Tax rates that you can pass under the lit.

M

Go through the same process of voting et cetera.

M

Okay answer your question: yes, yes, so the the economic development path was.

E

Chosen because the city could identify specific needs.

E

And did not hear from other units about additional needs to add.

E

I don't know I still don't quite understand why it was chosen to go the.

E

Economic development route: I think what the mayor was saying.

M

Was that uh the the biggest need that.

M

He saw for this right now was um creation of jobs, the economy.

M

And climate change, which actually is intricately.

M

um Involved with our economy and it's going to be really important.

M

um You know, I think one of the other things is that that we can put this in a.

M

Separate fund and it's it's more transparent that way you can.

M

See where exactly where the expenditures are going.

M

um So that was, I think, another.

M

E

Okay, thank you. Thank you. Councilor smith,.

I

Can I ask a question: uh pursue a procedural question.

B

Yes, please can I just ask the counsel to uh a question.

I

Can I just ask them our mem, the other counselors, a question.

B

uh Well, I'm not sure what the question thought.

I

Do you want to ask it and then you can okay.

I

So so about several constituents that I've talked to.

I

And been in contact with, um don't think, we've had enough.

I

Time to sit with this so that they have been able to uh let it percolate a.

I

Little bit and for them to.

I

Give us their opinion or or to feel like they.

I

Understand it do does, is anybody want to comment on how they.

I

Feel about that it makes me feel a little uneasy.

I

Do you all what do you all think about that.

B

I'd like to start addressing that, because this was a.

B

Matter that uh complicated the issue for me from the very beginning.

B

uh The way that this has been scheduled is.

B

uh A result of the of hard points in the schedule that we.

B

Couldn't control, first of all, as you know, we were not even doing.

B

Business uh for uh doing anything but essential.

B

Business for several months; secondly,.

B

The process for uh properly enacting this tax.

B

I believed required that we give the other units a full 30 days.

B

To take up the issue, which means that they would have to.

B

Receive the issue by october, one or two: it also requires the auditor, the county.

B

Auditor to receive the resolution that we would pass with.

B

At least 10 days notice that they could advertise it uh bringing the hard date for it to be able to be adopted with a.

B

January 1 effect date of september 17th, give or.

B

Take a day so in other words september 16th next.

B

Week is the latest possible.

B

Time that the council could it could adopt this resolution.

B

While still giving the other units time to consider it.

B

Now, if the council, and if, if there are in fact enough votes.

B

To adopt uh the this resolution without needing the votes of other.

B

Members of the tax council uh that I have since learned that this.

B

Resolution could be adopted later to september 16th, but.

B

uh You know if there is a need for if, for example, seven members adopted.

B

According to statute, it would be less than 50 percent, and at least one member.

B

Of the county council or some combination of county and eldersfield counselors would have to.

B

Vote in favor to adopt it and they would then need.

B

Enough time by statute to do so, so I tried to err on the side of.

B

Caution and I scheduled it uh with maximum.

B

Opportunity for everyone to consider it now.

B

uh I I don't know uh whether this is true or not, but I.

B

Believe that, if uh council indicates that there are.

B

uh Not enough votes to adopted eight votes.

B

um At this time, but the administration believes that.

B

uh There may be eight votes able to be gotten between now and october. 30Th.

B

uh It's possible that it could be adopted.

B

um Because effectively, a majority of city council members who are making the.

B

Tax council could uh adopt it without it been put.

B

From other units, but that would preclude the ability to.

B

Go to other units in order to get their actual vote so.

B

I know it's a very complicated answer, but.

B

I just wanted people to understand why I schedule it the way I did.

B

I felt like I didn't, have a choice, but I think that there.

B

Are some limited choices to be made here? Well,.

I

And steve, it wasn't meant to be any criticism.

B

It's all, I know it's kind of like a little.

I

Making me uncomfortable, oh, I don't blame you and I I just wanted to make sure.

B

That people understood that this was not necessarily the.

B

Administration uh browbeating me to do so. I I chose this schedule because.

B

I thought it would maximize uh the fairness of the process.

B

So uh you know I just wanted people to fully understand it and I'm happy to be.

B

Corrected by mr lucas um or by uh city legal.

B

On this topic, but I think I have it understood.

B

And I just want people to know that there.

B

Is theoretically a possibility after september 16, but.

B

There are some greater consequences that await us. If so,.

D

What's a point of order, uh are we in council question.

D

uh For we are still in counseling questions.

D

Is it sort of we're still in constant questions, and I I felt that that.

B

Procedural question needed to be answered so, okay, my apology for taking some time. Thank you and I I I do want to.

F

Correct, maybe a few things councilmember vollen stated: please do.

F

Please do point of order good, take it, mr lucas.

F

I think this might be relevant, so um the uh city council is a member of the tax.

F

Council, so the resolution before you tonight would propose an.

F

Ordinance to the monroe county tax council and cast some.

F

Number of votes uh you know, potentially in favor of that.

F

Ordinance after the council acts to propose that.

F

Ordinance it would send that piece of legislation to the county.

F

Auditor, who then has up to 10 days to distribute that.

F

Ordinance to the other tax council members, the auditor doesn't have to take.

F

That full 10 days, but that's what statute says the auditor is allowed after the other tax council members.

F

Receive that ordinance they then have 30 days to to.

F

To consider that and and act on that again, they don't have to take the full.

F

30 days, but I believe before any of those other members could act on.

F

A proposal put put forward to them by uh by the.

F

City council, they would have to advertise a public hearing 10 days in.

F

Advance of whenever they're going to consider.

F

That proposal, so um I believe, councilmember vollen- was.

F

Right that the! If, if the city council.

F

Let me think of how to say this: uh if a majority of the tax council's votes.

F

Aren't cast by the city council, that is to say that less than eight members of.

F

The city council support this ordinance uh for the uh for the.

F

Ordinance to pass the tax council some other.

F

Member would need to vote in support, and so the timeline um council, member.

F

Volun spelled out allows them uh to act and support if.

F

They want to uh with um the full amount of time that.

F

Statute allows um I.

F

It's true that if the city council were to.

F

Postpone the vote later than next week, there could still be a majority of the.

F

Tax council within the city council, that votes to.

F

Support it. So if eight or nine city council members vote to support this.

F

They could act up until the end of october to impose this tax, but.

F

The timeline as council member volun spelled out allows for.

F

Action by the other members, if they wanted to.

F

If there was a need for support from the other members and if they wanted to support the ordinance, I don't know if the mayor has anything additional tax. Mr lucas has certainly.

B

Said better than I could I appreciate the clarification.

B

Mr mayor, do you have a follow-up very briefly, I would just say: look we.

J

We have worked very closely our council and your council. I think very well to be.

J

Very careful to be sure in this very detailed process.

J

That we follow every timing, demand and give everybody.

J

The full opportunity so that there's not somebody who, for.

J

Whatever reason later can say: well, we didn't get our full 30 days, even if we.

J

Couldn't have changed it, we, it was important for us. We, we just wanted to follow very carefully the state statute and the.

J

State timing uh and I think that's the right thing to.

J

To do uh and encourage you to do so so that we.

J

Don't encourage or allow later challenges it's.

J

A very specific time time demands and we think that's.

J

The right way to proceed.

B

Thank you. Yes, that also dovetails with what I understand, so I hope that.

B

Clarifies for everyone uh what is happening here.

B

What you know and why we are on the schedule that we are.

B

uh But the council does have choices that it can make. It's not.

B

Limited to the schedule as I've made it are there further questions from members.

B

I don't see any hands raised. I have a question.

B

um Counselor piedmont, smith. Yes, um I actually had a technical.

E

Question uh about the text of the resolution.

E

Specifically, the text of the ordinance proposed by the resolution.

E

In item 5, it says for further avoidance of doubt no other.

E

Change in the ordinance adopted in 2019 is intended or authorized.

E

What ordinance adopted in 2019 does that refer to.

M

I believe that would have been the lit that any lit that was passed last year.

M

So probably I'm guessing the ps lit, maybe.

M

Which is part of the lit so, in other words,.

M

All we are doing here is requesting an eat it or proposing an eat. It.

M

Rate all the other rates in there stay the same.

M

And there was, there was a rate change in 2019. psap. I think it was.

M

Psab yeah, okay, thank you.

B

Further questions from members before we go to.

B

Debate seeing none, we will now uh go to debate.

B

I want to once again remind everyone that.

B

A vote tonight uh is, I mean the advertised public meeting is.

B

Next week, so we basically it will be futile to.

B

Hold a vote tonight I can certainly suggest, and I'm sure.

B

Members will avail themselves with the ability to.

B

Indicate their current leaning there's no reason.

B

Why you can't say how you would vote, but we will not be taking a vote tonight.

B

I'll be entertaining a motion to postpone it to the second reading on.

B

The 16th with that you'll have five minutes each.

B

For each round mr rallo, I see your hand first.

G

Thank you president. um I think the mayor laid out a very.

G

uh Good argument- and I appreciate the the context first I'd like to just say.

G

That, with this very modest tax increase, we still.

G

Remain very low relative to other counties.

G

That surround us and low relative to other counties in the state.

G

um I think it's clear that we're going to experience.

G

Continued shortfalls in revenue, it's also clear that we have.

G

Virtually no recourses- this is one that's available to us.

G

And so it seems prudent to to take that. I think that we do have.

G

A an urgency related to this that we should act.

G

Sooner um there are other things that.

G

uh Give me pause. Yes, um I think a number of people.

G

Mr paul, for instance, talked about the regressive nature.

G

Of the tax, but that is just a function of of the tax itself.

G

In the structure we don't have control over that.

G

But as he also referenced, and I think we should be aware of this significant.

G

Portion of this goes to vulnerable members of our.

G

Community and so and with and toward.

G

Job development, economic development- it also goes.

G

Toward accessible transportation, alternative transportation, it's focused.

G

To a significant degree on climate action.

G

I think I I'm very conscious of mr bingham's uh plea that.

G

uh We ought to get the most bang for the buck.

G

However, I'm I I don't think I would support it if there wasn't a significant.

G

Contribution towards social services to offset.

G

The progressive nature of it by by design.

G

I think we need to maintain our commitment to climate.

G

And we're going to stall unless we have some form of revenue.

G

So I think that this is a very.

G

Bold and prudent step that the mayor is taking. I know it isn't easy.

G

uh And I give uh he and his administration credit.

G

For moving forward on this, uh it's anticipating.

G

The future, I think that we will be in a better position.

G

In the future, if we were to adopt this, and so.

G

I'll indicate that I will support it this evening.

G

Thank you. Thank you. Is there another member who.

B

Would like to speak to this issue.

B

I see having trouble seeing so, mr sims, if you.

B

Could see who else is raising their hand.

H

Council members gambler, I see councilwood scandalory you'll have five.

B

Minutes, thank you. I probably won't need that.

L

I appreciate all the work and thought that has gone into this proposal.

L

um Something that is not not particularly compelling to me.

L

Was the chart that said that 50 of the tax revenue would come from people.

L

Making a hundred thousand dollars or more.

L

First of all, I think just basic arithmetic would suggest that would be.

L

The case, but I don't know that that's a lot of.

L

Consolation if you've lost your job in recent months.

L

And you've had to raid your savings and you're faced with losing secure.

L

Housing, so um I guess it doesn't matter to me.

L

Who will be paying more in terms of total revenue.

L

What I keep coming back to is the impact on individual households, so I think.

L

About that a lot.

L

And if we were to vote tonight, I would likely abstain because I do want to.

L

Think about this more, but one request I do have.

L

A lot of the elements of the plan or the draft plan, I should say.

L

Are really dependent if we were to pull them off, it would really depend on the.

L

Partnerships we built um so center stone is just one.

L

Organization, that's specifically mentioned, but over the next five years we've talked about one and a quarter million.

L

Dollars in services for those experiencing homelessness.

L

We've talked about 1.8 million over five years for job supports.

L

I would love to hear from some of those partners.

L

During public comment, or in whatever setting is appropriate.

L

um Because I think whether or not this works at all will depend heavily.

L

On what they bring to the table and their degree of enthusiasm.

L

uh And their their feedback on whether or not these ideas are well founded.

L

um So I would just extend that invitation. Extend that request.

L

um As this conversation goes forward, I'd love to hear for some of the partners.

L

That would be involved in the proposed initiatives. Thank you.

B

Thank you there's another member who would like to speak to resolution 2013.

B

I'm looking for raised hands, I see concept of flaherty.

D

Thank you um yeah. I appreciate again the the work and the detail that the.

D

Administration has put into developing this proposal, um which, of course has.

D

Been a longer conversation, I think.

D

There's no easy or right way to talk about.

D

How to pursue bold new initiatives and and adjust tax rates when we were.

D

Talking about this in the spring, um a criticism we heard from uh a number.

D

Of people was, this process is too long. uh How many.

D

Meetings, do we have to go to uh and and now it's you know, the.

D

Opposite um there's, maybe there's a happy medium.

D

In there somewhere, um but it's it's.

D

The timing is important. I think um the mayor is absolutely right. That.

D

After this year, we may lose any input of the city on.

D

A local income tax proposal at all um and our county colleagues, um you know.

D

Despite six of seven of them being democrats and.

D

Caring about issues like climate change um and and tackling sustainability.

D

And equitable investments in our community are are seeming to be a very.

D

Anti-Tax body- um and this isn't just a covet thing-.

D

This was true before kobet as well, um which begs like some interesting.

D

Questions about local income taxes, of course, it's unfortunate that it's a flat.

D

Tax, which affects people in a regressive way, all.

D

Of us wish that was different, it'd be great if the state would change it. I would also support the changes to give cities separate taxing authority than counties. um But, as the mayor mentioned, we've been.

D

Trying for this for 15 years and and with no luck um so we'll keep trying.

D

That's that's great. I appreciate that our county colleagues want to try that.

D

Too but you know what's what's so correct.

D

About our current local income tax rate, we know it's among the lowest um in our contiguous counties and in the.

D

Region and around the state, but why 1.345? Why was the public safety.

D

Lit okay, why don't we cut that tax rate in half now and put money back in people's pockets?

D

You know uh why not cut it next to nothing. We can cut city services.

D

Like crazy, I mean this is all some there's. Some level of status quo.

D

Bias here to say that the current tax rate is the right tax rate.

D

There's no reason that's so, um and at the end of the day it comes down to.

D

Some some level of uh do you believe in the power of.

D

Government to use taxes to collectively serve the.

D

Greater good of people and because no tax, we we raise local.

D

Income tax or otherwise can directly benefit every individual.

D

Who is taxed um especially low income, individuals.

D

More every single one of them more than the tax they pay in. That's.

D

Just an impossibility: that's not how taxes work, but, generally speaking, I.

D

I am a believer in government doing good things for.

D

The greater good and the public good uh with with its tax revenues, I think.

D

That's an important um concept to keep in mind here.

D

um Let's see um sorry, I'm not particularly well.

D

Structured in my in my comments tonight, but.

D

I think daniel bingo made some really good points and I and I share his view.

D

This is, you know, there's elements of this. We simply can't wait on. We are in the midst of a climate emergency and.

D

That is going to affect people of color and low-income communities.

D

And other um other groups that have been marginalized by our current systems.

D

In various ways, um and and we need to work on those we need, we need to adjust.

D

And equitable sustainable economic development solution and that's what this tax is meant to do.

D

It's economic development. You know for our community and in our defined goals.

D

And our comprehensive plan, our sustainability action plan.

D

Transportation plan that that's what we mean by economic development.

D

Here in bloomington, a sustainable and equitable place an economy for everyone.

D

um So that's what we're trying to do here. I do think we need.

D

uh To address concerns of of folks that have been voiced in the spring as well.

D

As now, um namely, that there's been people that support this in principle, but I've had a hard time.

D

Getting on board with the proposal um as such and and the main concerns I've.

D

Heard are related to uh transparency, reporting of of outcomes.

D

And the effectiveness of policies, as well as um uh decision making and how and how that.

D

Process goes, you know and having meaningful public involvement in that.

D

And having involvement from multiple elected officials, including council members in that and that's what I was trying to get at with ordnance 2016, which we'll introduce.

D

Tonight and discuss you know next week, I look forward to feedback from you know the administration and working.

D

On any possible amendments to that are needed in the coming week as well.

D

um But I think to me: that's a really important point is to have a.

D

Collaborative and balanced approach to to how we're making these decisions.

D

That kind of sets some guidelines and better defines.

D

What this process would look like going forward.

D

So all that said I I lean towards supporting this, but I think.

D

uh The issues raised in 2016 are really important to me and.

D

I'd like to see them be part of our approach here, thanks.

B

Thank you any other member who would like to speak.

B

To resolution 2013.

B

First call councilmember, piedmont, smith,.

E

Yeah, I don't have a lot to say at this point because I'm undecided.

E

um Still thinking about what? uh What will be best for our community.

E

Both at this time and in the long run, um I did want to point out. However,.

E

Because some of my colleagues as well as the mayor have emphasized.

E

That bloomington has a low tax rate and would continue to have a low tax rate.

E

Even if this lit increase were adopted, we also have a very high cost of living.

E

We have the highest housing prices in the state of indiana.

E

So, let's not lose sight of that. It costs a hell of a lot more to live here than.

E

It does to live in morgan, county or in brown, county or.

E

Those other counties that we're comparing ourselves to um so uh I'm.

E

Just going to be, you know, thinking and talking to people and.

E

Considering uh both sides of this issue in the in the coming week, I do wish we.

E

Had more time both for the public and.

E

For council members and for our county colleagues to digest this, but I.

E

Understand that there are real concerns about.

E

The general assembly uh removing our ability to.

E

To act at all, uh if we wait too long, so uh that's all I've got for tonight.

E

B

Thank you further comments from my colleagues on.

B

Resolution 2013 from those who have not yet spoken.

B

Council, member smith,.

I

Thank you, president. Please go ahead.

I

There's several things that go go on in my.

I

In my thinking, um one of them is um three or four people. I.

I

I did a poll on next door, so three or four people are against the.

I

Tax for various reasons.

I

So that so that's in my mind uh and weighing on.

I

On me, um I see that um the other qu is a question in my mind,.

I

Is this proposal a response to the current health and economic.

I

Crisis, if, if it is, then I believe there are certain things.

I

That are listed in the uh the list of uh initiatives.

I

That I I just can't see that it's necessary when you're talking about.

I

Health and economic crisis and.

I

One that jumped out at me was so I see there's a million point two.

I

Each year for improving bicycle lanes.

I

And what's terrible about that, is that I love bicycle lanes.

I

I think it's great. Every week I ride my bike.

I

I love it, but but is, but if we are talking about a health.

I

And economic crisis in our response to it.

I

Then I I'm sorry I just I. I don't think I can support the proposal.

I

um And there are a few other things in there, but.

I

I I find that I I have a hard time feeling solid on what the proposal is.

I

Addressing so um so I just.

I

I just wanted to articulate that and tell you that and to let the public know.

I

Those are, those are the kind of things that are going through my mind, listening to their comments and.

I

Looking at the proposal- and um you know if I was voting tonight, I would.

I

Abstain as well so that I could do more research.

I

And gather more information, so thank you.

B

Thank you, mr smith. Other other first-round.

B

Comments in this debate period.

B

I'm seeing some frozen screens so if somebody sees a hand raised mr sims.

B

Could you note it um there are none, I'm sorry.

H

Councilman, I have my hand up. I I just saw thank you.

H

Council, member rosa parker, okay, thank you appreciate it.

N

I'll be brief, I would say I'm leaning in support of this. Am I muted, I'm okay.

N

I'm leaning in support of this tax, just as I did.

N

In the beginning of the year when we started it as a climate.

N

Climate tax, um I would say my major concern.

N

As it was, then is the transparency and the accountability.

N

And the focus on how we're going to spend the fun. So I think.

N

Having a larger conversation about that, as we move forward is really important,.

N

To me, um I'm just looking at my notes.

N

I mean I know I, I know it's hard taking money from folks.

N

At this difficult time with a pandemic, but I think.

N

I think over the course of a year, this tax is so very small that, like the.

N

Good, we can do outweighs outweighs that part of it.

N

um So I think that's about it honestly for right now, I'm leaning towards.

N

Supporting this, I just want to make sure we put in place a good mechanism to.

N

Check this every year, because it is the taxpayer dollars and we're taking.

N

Their dollars at a really difficult time, so I want to make sure we put it toward.

N

What we say we're going to do economic justice, racial justice.

N

Right sustainability and environmental justice thanks.

B

Thank you. Are there, I see councilmember sandberg.

B

Go ahead, if we were to vote tonight, I would be a definite abstention.

W

And I, uh for those of you who are well well acquainted with my way of thinking.

W

And my pragmatic approach to things you know that I.

W

uh Don't make decisions lightly and I listen before I speak and before I make.

W

Decisions as important as this one of the things mentioned.

W

Of is the very important issue of partnerships, and I think at the very heart of some of my reservations here is the lack of our ability to.

W

Work with our county colleagues and come up with a strategy for how do we.

W

Address the indiana general assembly, we all know what they're capable of doing.

W

We all know that bloomington is sometimes this.

W

uh This target that they like to when they see us starting to make a move in.

W

Some sort of direction they'll make an end run and come around.

W

And and and make sure that we're not.

W

Able to do it, we've experienced this, but my thinking as as a strategist is.

W

How do we overcome some of these obstacles and some of these barriers to.

W

Us as a city entity being able to do what we would.

W

Want to do on behalf of raising taxes to an.

W

Adequate level where we can fund the kind of things that we as a community.

W

Want to fund, I am not an anti-taxer that has been raised. As you know, taxes.

W

Being the third rail.

W

Nobody wants to have their taxes raised and, if you believe in government, as I do.

W

We cannot run a healthy, strong government without strong.

W

Tax dollars, my concern about this particular proposal has to do with its.

W

Timing, it has changed from january when the.

W

Initial proposal was meant, and a lot of that is largely due to.

W

Unforeseen um issues that we all are aware of that have cropped up since then,.

W

And now, but to me this is almost too large of a project.

W

It's too much of a kitchen sink approach, and it's very very hard to take this.

W

Message out to the constituents we're all getting calls we're all.

W

Getting emails we're all attending. You know, meetings where people are.

W

Questioning us, what is this money going to be used, for?

W

That was the concern from the very beginning, hey. I don't have a problem.

W

With my taxes being raised slightly and again, these may be middle to upper.

W

Income people that responded in that way, but what's your plan, what are your.

W

Specifics, how can we be assured that this will be.

W

A good um a good, you know feasible plan for going forward. That will have the.

W

Maximum benefit the other issue I'm having is that we're.

W

Making decisions that do affect people outside of our jurisdiction.

W

If we were untied to how this is going to impact our colleagues at the county,.

W

Level, I would be less reluctant to lend my.

W

Support to it tonight, but this is going to impact people.

W

Beyond us and yeah, we've got the bully pulpit. We.

W

Absolutely do all it takes is eight of us to say yes.

W

To this and it's going to impact people outside.

W

Of our jurisdiction, that may be something that doesn't.

W

Concern a lot of people, but it does concern me because, just in general.

W

I prefer to work in collaboration with people and not to say here's what we're.

W

Going to do deal with it when we'll fix it later.

W

I I really think we're making some errors in judgment here and being so.

W

Quick to say yes, we got to do it. The urgency is now.

W

If we don't do it now, we're never going to be able to do it.

W

I'm not quite sure I buy that. I would rather take the time.

W

To educate get more buy-in from the people that this is going to.

W

Impact, including our county colleagues, and take a little bit more time with.

W

This and not not kind of have this: the sky is falling.

W

Mentality times are going to get hard clearly they are, and we have been.

W

Through tough times before in this city, we've experienced economic downturn and.

W

When that happened, we had to tighten our belts and that's.

W

Painful and as somebody who does believe in government and that we need dollars in order to provide good city.

W

Services, it pains me to have to to not be for.

W

Attacks but I have many reservations: I've made.

W

Many many phone calls today, I'm going to make many more in the coming week.

W

Because I'm still undecided, thank you. Thank you. Are there other.

B

First-Round comments from members who have not yet spoken.

B

I see man and I will take an opportunity to speak.

B

If I can just get this thing to reset sorry, my timer program is just broken.

B

B

um I can't stop it for some reason: it's crashed. Is there.

B

Anyone who likes to speak while I fix this, I'm willing to time you, council,.

D

President volun, if you would like, would appreciate that I'll.

B

Give you a woman? Okay, if you would thank you.

B

The question came whether this is an appropriate use of economic development.

B

Funds we've defined sustainability as a form of economic development. To my mind, distributing the money as.

B

Certified shares would simply require even less specificity as to how.

B

The money would be used than you know has been complained about.

B

We've heard some of the absurd constraints.

B

That our friends in indianapolis place on cities.

B

Because they do not value cities and the absurd constraints they have placed on.

B

This city in particular, I have seen more than enough from their.

B

Willingness to arbitrarily curtail our ability to annex at the last minute.

B

To ban our ability to restrict the use of plastic bags.

B

To threaten the entirety of our certified chairs, if we did not agree to.

B

Say allow federal funds to flow to our metropolitan area for I-69.

B

A road project which we did not want to know.

B

That we are at the mercy of the state house.

B

The question came of whether this tax will disproportionately affect the.

B

Lowest, income and income tax will have no impact on a.

B

Household that has lost its income. um The the complaint from our colleagues.

B

On the county council have written us asking to collaborate.

B

They've also made clear, though, that they don't support such attacks.

B

About the only point in which I'm sure that the city and the county councils.

B

Agree is that we should jointly approach the legislature to ask them to not force the city.

B

To force this county to raise a tax, they don't want.

B

More importantly, though, I'd say that, based on the way, the state.

B

Only allows regressive taxes in our case and doesn't permit us to not drag.

B

Another jurisdiction into our own fares, a complaint about.

B

This tax being regressive or being.

B

Compulsive, I'm not sure what the right word is.

B

Is with the general assembly, not with the city council.

B

Because otherwise, when an opportunity arises to fund local government as it.

B

Should be funded, as it clearly needs to be after 17 years.

B

In this job, I'm a fool to not consider such a tax, as this.

B

Seriously- and I want to commend the mayor for thinking proactively, he's.

B

Not playing defense, we do need bold thinking, and it is bold.

B

Indeed, to propose attacks under these uh trying times the mayor.

B

Does an increasingly good job of advancing the argument for attacks like.

B

This especially the point about the relative.

B

Low tax status of this locality in this area, this state, this country and the world and contract.

B

Contrary to some assertions tonight, uh the mayor has indeed advanced to plan.

B

With specifics, uh that's where my uh uh sympathy with.

B

This proposal uh reaches its limit. My questions are in.

B

Some of the specifics trail projects, for example, do not seem.

B

Like something that should merit special spending.

B

Curbside composting doesn't really help apartment dwellers who can't afford.

B

Homes and places to stash their their compost.

B

Or use it and helping a few people own housing does not help everyone by.

B

Definition, meanwhile, had the proposal been a 25.

B

Cent increase going entirely to transit the other half of the mayor's proposal.

B

In january and an idea I favored 12 months ago, I.

B

Think I find I I think it would meet with more favor now, in general, I'm leaning toward approving the tax, but.

B

I had serious qualms about the way in which.

B

The mayor has uh gone about uh assembling how it would.

B

Be used despite the fact that uh it is more specific that he's been.

B

Given credit for, I think that the council needs to have.

B

More influence in line items within that proposal to be.

B

Able to move money around and that's why I suggested such in a.

B

Question that I asked earlier this evening a little less, but I also want to say in closing that.

B

I do believe that if, uh uh if time is an issue.

B

That uh would make the difference for people to.

B

For members of my colleagues to support this.

B

um I just don't believe that the 16th is necessarily.

B

uh The deadline for this proposal, um I believe that it would be.

B

Much less reliable to adopt uh to attempt to adopt such attacks.

B

Between the 16th and october 31st, but it is not.

B

Out of the question so over the next week, one of the things I'm going to try.

B

To pin down is um you know to what extent that's a.

B

Political question: to what extent that's a technical or a bureaucratic question, but um otherwise uh I am, I am leaning towards.

B

It and with that, I invite any other member who's not yet spoken to speak.

B

And I might have my timer, um it's crashed here.

B

um Is there any other member who would like to speak?

B

uh Who is uh whether they've spoken or not.

B

Going once going twice.

B

With that, uh I will uh call for a motion to postpone.

D

So moved second, we have motion in a second will. The.

B

Clerk, please call the uh the role on the motion to.

B

Postpone to september 16th.

C

Council members, yes, yes, piedmont, smith,.

C

Yes, clarity, yes, smith. Yes, sandberg.

C

Yes, rahul, yes, scandalory, yes,.

C

Rosenberger, yes,.

B

And I believe, that's a 9-0 vote, so this issue will be.

B

Taken up in second reading at the regular session on september, 16th.

B

uh We now go to the next item on the agenda.

E

Mr president, I move that ordinance, 2016 be introduced and read by title and.

E

Synopsis only by the city, clerk.

B

We have a motion in a second uh will. The clerk. Please call the role of the motion.

B

To introduce council member volun, yes,.

C

Piedmont. Smith; yes, flaherty! Yes, smith! Yes,.

C

Sandberg, yes,.

C

Rollo, yes, scandaloury. Yes,.

C

Rosenberger yeah sims, yes,.

B

All right, uh the the yeses have it will the clerk please read.

B

By title and synopsis ordinance 20-16 to establish the sustainable development.

C

Non-Reverting fund and to amend title ii of the bloomington.

C

Municipal code entitled administration and personnel adding.

C

Chapter 2.35 entitled sustainable development fund advisory.

C

Commission the synopsis is, the ordinance is.

C

Authored by council member flaherty and creates a dedicated, sustainable.

C

Development fund to receive all monies received by the.

C

City of bloomington, from an edit rate that have been.

C

Designated for economic development purposes, the ordinance also amends title ii of the bloomington municipal code.

C

Administration and personnel to create a new.

C

Seven-Member sustainable sustainable development.

C

Fund advisory commission, this commission would.

C

Among other duties, prioritize projects to be funded with e-I-e-d-I-t.

C

Revenue making funding recommendations and report on the use of the fund.

B

Thank you, and with that I think we conclude our legislation for first.

B

Reading resolutions we go to matters of council schedule.

B

Mr lucas, can you fill us in uh nothing major to report? um I may put.

F

Out a plug for the jack hopkins uh social services, funding.

F

Committee, uh their second round of funding in 2020.

F

Just uh was open for excuse me. Applications.

F

Today, so any social service agencies that are.

F

Interested in applying can go to the jack hopkins website to uh to.

F

View the uh details about how to apply for funding.

F

um There aren't any uh additional meetings this week, the.

F

Next meeting of the council will be next wednesday.

F

Which will be the publicly advertised hearing on resolution 2013, which was.

F

Just discussed tonight and I have no other items of council schedule.

B

Thank you with that. uh I want to thank everyone for coming this evening uh for.

B

Giving input into this very important uh a decision before us.

B

And with that, I'm happy to entertain a motion to adjourn.

E

Move to adjourn thank you motion a second all in favor, please say.

B

Aye we are adjourned goodnight. Everyone then thank you. Thank you.

A

A