The DeKalb City Council voted to implement a motor fuel tax and increase the sales tax rate at Monday’s meeting.

All council members voted in favor of both ordinances. The most vocal opponent of the sales tax increase, Alderman Dave Baker (Ward 6), was absent.

Aldermen Ron Naylor (Ward 5) and Bertrand Simpson (Ward 1) both expressed a desire to revisit the tax increase in six months to a year after a new budget had been passed and possible savings found. Alderman Kris Povlsen (Ward 2) encouraged community members to get involved in the upcoming budget workshops so the community would feel more involved and educated on the process.

Despite high public attendance numbers, only two citizens spoke regarding the sales tax increase. Mac McIntyre and Herb Rubin both spoke at previous council meetings about the tax increase.

Rubin expressed support again for the tax increase as necessary and voiced support for the idea of furthering citizen involvement in the budget process.

McIntyre again asked the council to correct what he called a procedural problem of too little public input and too few meetings before the council voted on the increase.

Though he praised council members’ efforts to reach out and inform citizens on the need for the taxes, he blamed city staff for ignoring input from the business community.

“No interested parties were contacted,” McIntyre said.

Larry Hickey Jr., whose father owns Hickey Corner Stores, spoke out against the motor fuel tax.

“Gas pricing is a reactionary business,” Hickey said.

He explained his business, as well as other gas stations, would be eating the cost of the tax because it was unable to pass it along to consumers. He asked the council to hold over voting until the impact of Sycamore’s fuel tax on sales could be studied.

The sales tax increase is expected to bring in an additional $1.8 million per year. The motor fuel tax will increase available funds for road improvements by $400,000 annually.

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