Part of Wednesday night's budget hearings suggested it might be time for the city to give up control of the Bloomington Farmers' Market.
(Seth Tackett, WFIU/WTIU News)
For the third night in a row the Bloomington city council listened to requests for the 2021 budget.
Bloomington Transit is proposing a $14.5 million budget for next year.
General Manager Lew May said before the COVID-19 pandemic there were talks about Bloomington Transit receiving some additional funds from a climate-based Local Income Tax (LIT).
“We’re hoping that those conversations will resume at some point and that there will be some serious consideration given to using a climate LIT to possibly expand public transportation and grow it and improve service in our community," May said.
Before the pandemic, Mayor John Hamilton proposed raising income taxes by 0.5 percent to help fund green initiatives.
But in his new “Recover Forward” program, that will decrease to a 0.25 percent tax hike.
May said at this point he doesn’t know if the funds generated from that tax will be allocated to Bloomington Transit specifically.
Another important budget item for next year will be the added position of a Transportation Demand Manager.
This individual will be responsible for helping the city improve the sustainability of its public transportation systems.
City Director of Economic Sustainability Alex Crowley said single-occupancy vehicles cost Bloomington residents an average of $8,000 per year. He said hiring someone to come up with better transit solutions could help the community.
“There’s a compelling economic argument to someone cutting out that mode of transportation, if they can do it, and using what we have in town, which is fairly robust in terms of alternative options," Crowley said.
This new full-time position will be paid $54,411 per year, if approved.
Parks And Recreation Dept. Proposal
The city's Parks and Recreation Department also presented its budget recommendations before the council Wednesday night.
The main part of the conversation was steered toward the future of the Bloomington Farmers’ Market.
Councilmember Isabel Piedmont-Smith said she believes people no longer feel safe at market, and the city should consider turning over its operations to an outside non-profit group.
“It’s a very valuable part of our community," Piedmont-Smith said. "But I think it’s time for the city to get out of the farmers’ market business.”
Controversy erupted last year after it was revealed that vendor Sarah Dye of Schooner Creek Farm had alleged ties to a white supremacist group.
