Despite a new proposal to spread out a gasoline tax increase in Danville over a two year period instead of right away, the City Council still had so many questions on why the issue came up and whether any correction should be made that a vote on it was tabled. Because of that, Mayor Rickey Williams, Jr motioned that the vote on the new tax levy and budget be tabled until the next full council meeting on December 17th, since the gasoline tax increase that affects both is still in limbo.
A couple years back the city hired municipal fund recovery firm Azavar to assist in finding money the city needed to recover; and they discovered that the gasoline tax being charged could actually be higher. But Council members such as Vice-Mayor Tricia Teague and Jon Cooper were adamant that residents definitely do not want this; with Teague adding that it’s so easy now, with apps like “Gas Buddy,” to find cheaper gasoline in the next town. Teague wanted to postpone the gas tax vote until January, saying two weeks will not be enough time to obtain and assess the information the Council needs. Cooper said straight out afterwards that he’s against any postponement because he’s against the whole increase, period.
(1st Picture) Mason McGuire poses with Danville Firefighters after receiving his congratulatory plaque for saving a family member’s life. (2nd Picture) A full crowd awaits start of Danville City Council meeting. (3rd Picture) Former Director of Public Works and alderman candidate Doug Ahrens, who once again criticized the mayor during public comment, speaks with mayor Williams following the meeting.
AUDIO: If we haven’t had that gas tax enforced for the last 15 years, we don’t need to amend it and start all over again. I will not support a gas tax. I’m a ‘no.’
But now, the gasoline tax issue will be discussed during next Tuesday’s (Dec 10th) Public Works Committee meeting. Mayor Williams says he’s confident that a vote on it, and the levy and budget, will all happen in the 17th. And as the mayor stated after the meeting, the city is required to have a tax levy turned into the county by the end of this month.
AUDIO: We’ll get it figured out one way or the other. We’ll be ready to roll. We’ll have a vote on the levy one way or another, we have to by law. The budget, hopefully we’ll be passing that as well; because the budget and the levy go hand in hand.
Meanwhile, after some very vivid discussion, the proposed one percent city grocery tax increase to replace the disappearing state one percent tax was passed ten to four. Vice-Mayor Teague, Ed Butler, Jon Cooper, and Bob Iverson all voted “no.” Also passed was the agreement with bidder Homrich, recommended by city consultant The Farnsworth Group, for the city-county tear down of Bresee Tower and the Courthouse Annex Building. The mayor and council stated that the county at this point just has to approve the funding source for their portion, although new County Board Chairman Steve Miller said the night before that he’ll be consulting with the State’s Attorney’s Office on whether that is indeed the case, or if the county still has to send the agreement to committee for eventual overall approval.
The meeting began with a special presentation for young Mason McGuire, who recently saved his great-grandmother from a fire after what he had learned during Fire Prevention Week. Mason received a plaque from Fire Chief Aaron Marcott.
There will also be a “budget work session” at the end of next Tuesday’s Public Works Committee meeting.
