tax hike

The council decided on a 0.175 percent income tax increase to replace the existing Monroe County Jail, which the ACLU and sheriff’s office say is unsafe and beyond repair.

Council’s conversation focused on finding additional sources of revenue. Several members took a specific interest in the 0.25 percentage point increase in the ‘public safety’ LIT in 2016.

The current LIT is 1.345 percent, so the proposed rate of 2.2 percent is a 64 percent increase.

Hamilton’s memo called for $17 million in additional annual revenue from the LIT hike.