County Board - Tax Referendum
Voters in the April 7, 2009 Consolidated Election will be asked to vote on the issue of a sales tax to fund public facilities. According to the Peoria County Government website, “This fall a bill was passed into law that allows Illinois counties—with voter approval—to increase the sales tax rate to fund construction of public facilities.” According to Peoria County Board Member James Dillon, the referendum will read, “To pay for public facility purposes shall the County of Peoria be authorized to impose an increase on its share of local sales tax by ¼%.”
This increase would mean that a consumer would pay an additional 25 cents in sales tax for every $100 of tangible retail purchases.
The County Board must decide by January 31, 2009, whether to pose this question to voters on the April ballot. If passed, this tax increase would have a sunset clause that would, in effect, make the tax expire in twenty years after the bonds have been paid off.
Before deciding to put this question on the ballot, the county board wishes to get answers to questions relating to the county’s possible involvement with the proposed Peoria Riverfront Museum. According to Dillon, the county is seeking appointments to the board of directors to the proposed museum. County representatives serving in this capacity would be able to keep taxpayers informed and to influence decisions made before and after the construction stage in order to guarantee the museum’s continued viability.
Further information about this decision will be published in the April issue of the West Peoria News.