How IU students will affect Monroe County's COVID-19 totals, why propose a tax increase during a recession, how much of the budget reserves is the city using for pandemic relief, and an extended broadband effort update.
On this week’s installment of Ask The Mayor, Bloomington Mayor John Hamilton addresses these issues and more during a Facebook LIVE Zoom event Tuesday. Listen to the full conversation with Indiana Newsdesk anchor Joe Hren by clicking on the play button above, or read some of the questions and answers below. A portion of this segment airs 6:45 and 8:45 a.m. Wednesday on WFIU. Here are some highlights.
This conversation has been edited for clarity and conciseness.
Hren: Now that IU student move-in is in full swing, we know every student has to be tested for COVID-19, what's the data or situation with new cases in Bloomington?
READ MORE: Monroe County's 7-Day COVID-19 Positivity Rate Decreasing
Hamilton: Our numbers in Monroe County continue to be quite good in terms of positivity rates. That is how many people who get tested show a positive result. And that's very low. It's around 3-percent, which is excellent, much lower than the state or the country. But there are certainly stories all around the country where the virus can just explode again, and we're watching for parties and big gatherings where they shouldn't be happening. The police departments, both IU and city are working together.
I've spoke this morning to a group of 100 freshmen and just reminded them, what you do is going to matter. How you behave as students with masks and distancing is going to make the difference on whether or not the school can keep operating this way. So IU will also have a dashboard with COVID data from the tests that are coming back and that will be updated weekly and count for Monroe County totals so there could see a spike coming up here soon. We're going to see as IU is releasing those tests now to the state health department.
READ MORE: IU Designates Entire Residence Hall As COVID-19 Isolation Center
Hren: There's also been news reports about people not taking as many tests either. Some reports about being discouraged by the long wait times and results. So that must be frustrating that you want people to be tested?
Hamilton: Well, we're six months after the real pandemic hit. And we still don't have a good national testing scheme. We don't have statewide testing. We don't have anything like the testing we should have. We're fortunate in Bloomington that we have Indiana University that has just taken it upon themselves to do many, many, many more tests than otherwise would be happening.
I'll note, we have seen in hospitalizations, which don't really depend upon testing because if you're sick, you're sick, you go to the hospital. We have seen a rise again, we had a big bump in the spring it went down in the summer, it's come up again, not as high as in the spring.
Hren: You've been proposing the Recover Forward Bloomington initiative to fund a variety of programs - money taken from reserves, phase one was approved last week. I took a look at the funding breakdown, why $650,000 for sidewalks, path enhancements, transit improvements during a pandemic?
Hamilton: So we really try to think about how do you help the economy recover, which means jobs and spending in some ways, right? If we have projects that we can do, how do we get those going quickly so more people can get back to work, and also that we that we're creating the infrastructure that we want. The bus system had previously identified a whole bunch of bus stops that had accessibility issues. For some people that's really really important getting to and from work or healthcare, schools or other things.
We are way behind in terms of physical infrastructure in sidewalks and more and more people are walking and using sidewalks and we want to be sure that we're doing all we can to improve them now.
Hren: But to take that a little further, should the city be spending that money on those facing evictions or maybe food banks, utility shut-offs, business grants?
Hamilton: Well, we're doing a lot of that. The Recover Forward has a whole array of approaches which do include housing support. They do include support for social safety net and food, food providers and others like that - housing support. We've been doing millions of dollars of support for local businesses, and we want to continue doing that.
The county has already stepped forward with eviction support, which I support and then applaud. They put $100,000 into the township trustees to help push that out. They have more that they can do if that's appropriate and needed. State governments doing eviction support, federal government's doing eviction support. So we tried to really identify where some places where our $2 million which is, look, it's not a lot of money in the big scheme of things. But where can we make the most impact in the short in the short run?
Hren: I also have to ask about the 0.25 percent local income tax increase in 2021. You mentioned this to fund these projects for the next decade or so. So during an economic recession, pandemic, how many cities are wanting to increase taxes? Is that kind of going the other direction?
Hamilton: Anytime you raise taxes, it's not usually popular. I think the choice whether to increase revenue always should be based on what do we need it for? What is the revenue going to do for us if we have it? What does our community look like if we don't have it? It's kind of one step at a time.
The 2021 budget is being reviewed this week. And then after that, I think it'll be time to look at revenue. When I first proposed this in January, I proposed a 0.5 percent increase because I felt that was needed and appropriate to take the steps the city needs to create economic opportunity, to protect racial justice, to do our part on climate justice, improve our public transit system, and our infrastructure and all that. We've cut it in half in light of some of the economic pressures.
I do think it's interesting for people to know as well that Monroe County has the lowest tax rate of all the counties next to us of the seven counties in our region. That means other counties have raised their taxes to do things that they think are important, and we have stayed low. And I think it's going to be a community conversation about is it worth doing now or not?
Hren: I'm trying to steer more towards the Social Justice initiative part of this, how much have local organizations, Black Lives Matter, like that have been part of a consultant to the city in these types of initiatives?
Hamilton: Well, another example where Black Lives Matter has been very involved, and continues to be as a group, which was the farmers market. Last summer, of course, we had a lot of issues that the community cared a lot about. We brought in a group out of Ohio State, which is a, again, a national expertise. This one didn't cost us a dime, brought them in to help look at how does a community deal with racial issues like we're having in the farmers market, and they, this group led a process with some local involvement as well intensively involving Black Lives Matter and many, many voices to talk about what we do at the farmers market. A
It's actually that process which is leading to a big step, I think in the next weeks or months to create a community wide taskforce that will dig into racial structural racism and racial issues. This is not going to be a city led group but it's a city supported group. And that will be a very inclusive process with groups like Black Lives Matter, NAACP or campus groups and others that will be very involved in helping us look at that as a community.
Hren: How about an update to bring city wide broadband to Bloomington?
Hamilton: Boy hasn't that been clear how important broadband capacity is over the last five or six months. We are continuing to explore. I think the national election in 2016 did not help us in moving toward a citywide infrastructure. But what we did do when we couldn't get a full city wide build done, we continue to ask our providers AT&T and Comcast and Smithville to improve services.
But we did do a digital survey, actually before COVID hit, we didn't know it was coming. And that digital survey was just released a week or two ago showed us things like one out of eight low income households reports zero connection to the Internet, never. 50% of senior and low income households report, I don't have the skills I need to be comfortable and effective in engaging in digital commerce or digital activities.
We had households report homework problems. So this is helping us identify where there are some challenges with with broadband access, and we've actually created in Recover Forward a small grant program to try to help with partners in the community, how can we chip away at these digital equity issues?
Lee (email): What are the rules about masks on the B-Line Trail?
Hamilton: The B-Line Trail is really treated like any park or any sidewalk, individuals under the state now and of course, we had that local order earlier required to wear a mask. Generally, unless you're at home with your household, or your outdoors and not within six feet of people. There are other special circumstances that can be relevant, but generally you are to have a mask if you're in any public place indoors, or if you're going to be closer than six feet to people. So question on the B-Line if you're going to stay six feet apart from people other than your own household members, you're okay not with a mask but if you may be pausing and getting a cup of coffee or stopping and chatting with people, you really should have a mask.
Georgann (email): Are police officers required to wear masks?
Hamilton: Generally yes, police officers are required to wear masks just like all of our city employees. There are some differences for public safety employees like firefighters and police officers in how they engage with the public in certain circumstances where it's deemed not appropriate to wear a mask. You know, police officers are often entering a situation where it's really important that they be identifiable and identify quickly. But generally, yes, now our police officers do single car patrols so when they're alone in their car, they need not wear a mask, but when they're interacting with the public in general within six feet, and and if they're indoors, they should be wearing masks.
For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here.
