Sales Tax

Two resolutions before each district's respective school boards this week pledge that "not less than 33%" of the proceeds from a proposed 1% sales tax will be used to reduce the property tax rate for at least five years.

Normal City Manager Pam Reece said the town will keep a watchful eye on the spring legislative session in Springfield.

Mayor Chris Koos is pushing back on the position that natural revenue growth can make up for the upcoming loss of grocery sales tax revenue.

Normal Mayor Chris Koos said adding specific protections from discrimination for transgender and non-binary people to the town human relations ordinance is a necessary public signal.

The Normal Town Council hasn't yet decided how to address the loss of grocery tax revenue included in the new state budget, said Mayor Chris Koos.

The mayor of Normal said a potential ban on more smoke shops in Uptown relates to the purpose of the district. Mayor Chris Koos said the idea behind Uptown is to have an area that gets used 18 hours a day, and not just by university students but by the community. That requires a mix of businesses.

The City of Bloomington has begun condemnation proceedings on the long-vacant Front N Center building downtown. The former Montgomery Ward department store building has been deteriorating for decades and been a matter of concern during the administrations of the last three mayors.

The mayor of Normal said he's had it with lengthy traffic jams caused by freight trains. Chris Koos said this has been an issue before and the Union Pacific Railroad has addressed it, but there has been backsliding.

Voters in Lexington approved by a nearly 3-to-2 margin a sales tax increase to help offset rising utility costs.

The city of Lexington is asking voters to increase its sales taxes by a half-cent on Nov. 8. Mayor Spencer Johansen says the city faces rising costs due to inflation. For example, he says the power bill for the city water plant this year is 55% higher than what the city paid all last year.