City Council Unanimously Approves Local Income Tax Increase
All nine members of the Bloomington Common Council voted yesterday to enact an Economic Development Local Income Tax (ED-LIT), which will increase the total Monroe County Local Income Tax (LIT) rate from 1.345% to 2.035%. This 0.69 percentage point increase reflects extensive deliberations by Council Members and members of the Administration to increase annual investments in four broad categories, beginning in 2023:
- Public Safety – $3,954,000
- Climate Change Preparedness and Mitigation – $5,433,600
- Transit investments – $3,806,100
- Climate Action Plan (CAP) implementation – $1,627,500
- Equity and Quality of Life for All – $2,340,000
- Essential City Services – $2,790,000
The Bloomington Common Council constitutes a majority of the Local Income Tax Council (LIT Council), meaning yesterday’s vote cast over 50% of the votes among the LIT Council and effectively adopted the measure. Under the Indiana state code, the remaining fiscal bodies and their individual members may but need not vote on the measure. Votes on the LIT Council and distribution of the new revenue both are weighted proportionally based on population among the City of Bloomington, Monroe County, the Town of Ellettsville, and the Town of Stinesville. Under state law, the ED-LIT will be effective October 1, 2022.
The population-based distribution of new revenue from this tax increase is projected to generate approximately $14.5 million in new annual revenue for Bloomington, $9.2 million for Monroe County, $1.2 million for Ellettsville, and $36,000 for Stinesville.
Update of City of Bloomington infrastructure projects
Bryan Park
Bryan Park Perimeter Trail Improvements are underway. Two new boardwalks were built on the north side of Bryan Park to protect tree roots and improve drainage. Other improvements include new paved connections between the westernmost boardwalk and the Bryan Park fitness station and a new accessible paved connection to the North Picnic Shelter. Work on the perimeter trail is ongoing. During the week of May 2-7, contactors expect to finish the base asphalt work and begin an asphalt overlay of the entire 0.8-mile trail. The trail will reopen when the asphalt overlay is complete. Following the completion of the asphalt resurfacing, new concrete curb ramps with detectable warnings will be poured at the Henderson Street parking lot entrance and the southeast corner of the park. Learn more about the project at bloomington.in.gov/parks/parks/bryan-park/trails.
Griffy Lake Accessible Fishing Pier and Loop Trail
Griffy Lake boathouse closed May 2 for final resurfacing of Headley Road, which already reopened to one-way north flow traffic. The road will reopen to two-way traffic when the new guardrail is installed. The Griffy Lake Loop Trail & Accessible Fishing Pier project will create a quarter-mile multiuse path on the westside of Headley Road to connect the northern and southern trails around Griffy Lake and will create an accessible fishing pier directly west of the existing Griffy Lake Nature Preserve parking lot. This will improve accessibility and pedestrian safety as visitors will be able to access the trails along the western portion of the lake by walking along a separated path, rather than along the road. Work is ongoing and a ribbon cutting to introduce the completed accessible fishing pier and Headley Road path is tentatively planned for July or August. Learn more about the project at bloomington.in.gov/node/3512.
17th (Monroe to Grant) Multiuse Path
Construction is anticipated to start next week on 17th Street between North Walnut and Grant Street. During construction, which is expected to be completed by August, the westbound lane of 17th Street will be closed to through traffic and a detour will be installed that uses Dunn Street to the Bypass to College Avenue. This phase is part of a larger project that improves 17th Street; improvements include constructing a multiuse path along the north side of the street, constructing accessible sidewalk curb ramps, resurfacing the street, and replacing the existing traffic signal at the intersection of 17th Street at Madison Street/Kinser Pike. The improvements are part of the City’s commitment to sustainability, accessibility, and quality of life for all residents. Learn more about the project at bloomington.in.gov/engineering/projects/17thpath.
Hidden River Pathway Project
Grant Street north of 4th Street is expected to close as part of the Hidden River Pathway Project, which is a two-year reconstruction project of the downtown stormwater infrastructure that prevents flooding during rain events. The culverts that currently carry stormwater beneath Bloomington’s downtown are some of the oldest storm sewers in the city and over the course of the whole project, 1,829 feet of culverts will be reconstructed, protecting residential and commercial buildings in Bloomington’s vibrant downtown as well as increasing our climate resilience by improving our ability to manage and mitigate the effects of extreme precipitation. Learn more about the project at bloomington.in.gov/utilities/hidden-river.
Community Resource Fair at Excel Center
The Excel Center Bloomington is holding a Community Resource Fair on Saturday, May 7th, from 10am-2pm. Exhibiting will be:
– Colleges & Universities
– Employers & Certification Partners
– Non-Profit Organizations
– Raffles & Giveaways
– Food & Drink
The Excel Center is a tuition-free high school which provides adults and older youth the opportunity to earn a Core 40 high school diploma, industry-recognized certifications and college credit.
This Week in Hoosier History
1969 – The Indianapolis News reported that over 1,800 state employees were earning more than $10,000 a year. The large salaries went to an average of one out of thirteen persons employed. At the top of the list was the mental health commissioner, earning $35,000. The governor was third on the list with an annual pay of $31,000.
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