The Monroe County Council voted on Tuesday evening to advertise a local income tax increase to help pay for the new county jail.
In a 6-1 vote, the council decided to reduce the special LIT rate to .03 percent and increase the correctional rate to 2.2 percent to be used as revenue for bonding to support a budget for construction of a new facility.
Council member Jennifer Crossley said it was important the vote to advertise the new rate go through in order to move to project forward and allow for the public to enter the conversation.
“Folks need to come in and be able to say what they want to say, and say what they need to say to us, because this is their money,” she said. “I will vote in favor of this, because I want to hear from public personally.”
Read more: Monroe County leaders asking to raise income tax for new justice facility
The rate changes will need to go through a public comment period and receive a final vote before becoming official.
Nearly two weeks ago, the Bloomington and Ellettsville chambers of commerce asked Monroe County leaders to consider a new site for the county jail on the northwest side of Bloomington.
The county is required to build a new jail under a 2009 settlement agreement with the ACLU, which sued over overcrowded conditions.
