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true true true true true true

Monroe County Commissioners Ask To Suspend Food And Beverage Tax

By Joe Hren

Posted March 19, 2020

Monroe County Commissioners

Monroe County Commissioners, Julie Thomas, Penny Githens, and Lee Jones. Githens was absent from Wednesday's meeting. (Joe Hren, WFIU/WTIU News)

Monroe County Commissioners are asking for their portion of the food and beverage tax to help locally owned businesses outside Bloomington city limits hurting from the coronavirus pandemic.

The $200,000 needs to be approved by the county Food and Beverage Tax Advisory Commission.

Customers have been paying the 1-percent tax since February of 2018. The money is supposed to be used for the Monroe County Convention Center expansion project. But it's been at a standstill.​

The county is asking businesses to email (fbsupport@co.monroe.in.us) requests for help so they can come up with a way to distribute funds.

At Wednesday’s meeting, Commissioner Lee Jones says local businesses came up with the idea. Commissioners urged city officials to do the same.

Commissioner Julie Thomas asked county council to suspend the 1-percent food and beverage tax. She also asked city officials to stop discussions over the 0.5 percent local income tax increase that Bloomington's mayor is pushing for to fund sustainability projects.

“Please, let’s just make sure people have as much ready payment, cash, paychecks as they can at this time,” Thomas says.

Hamilton says the sustainability tax proposal and the convention center expansion haven't been on his mind for the last two weeks.

“But I also think it's important as a community we recognize it's important to keep jobs going and to keep economic and sustainable living happening. This has been a challenge to us. But, you know, climate change is a challenge to us too,” Hamilton says.

Commissioners also approved $25,000 each to the COVID-19 Emergency Relief Fund the Monroe Co. United Way announced Tuesday and the Hoosier Hills Food Bank.

The commissioners declared a disaster emergency Tuesday.

For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page here. 

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