Galesburg City Council on Monday night passed a .25 percent increase to the home rule sales tax.
The final vote went along an expected route; 4-3 with Kevin Wallace, Dwight White, Jaclyn Smith-Esters, and Sarah Davis voting in favor.
Bradley Hix, Larry Cox, and Wayne Dennis were opposed.
Aldermen and Mayor Peter Schwartzman had commented that the issue brought out more engagement from the public than any issue they’ve dealt with on the council.
There was almost an hour of public comment before the vote, with many expressing support for the increase but the council also was presented with a petition of 1,400 signatures opposed.
The council first took a vote on asking citizens in a referendum a non-binding question in the April consolidated election.
The council rejected a referendum by a 4-3 vote, with Hix, Cox and Dennis voting yes.
Hix noted that 88 percent of the Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce members asked in a recent poll were against the increase.
Cox commented he wouldn’t be surprised if costs for renovating Churchill come in much higher than anticipated currently.
Schwartzman clarified that there is no sunset date for the tax as passed but that doesn’t preclude future councils from lowering it.
Schwartzman said before the vote regardless of the vote’s outcome the community would “win”.
The tax will become effective July 1, 2023, and the city won’t start getting payments until at least September.