Carpentersville trustees will still be talking about gas tax next week

Sensing the imminent failure of an ordinance imposing a 2 cent per gallon gasoline tax in the village, Carpentersville trustees voted to continue the discussion to the next board meeting.

Village Finance Director Lisa Happ proposed the tax to help offset the costs of a $10 million bond the village is mulling to continue its aggressive capital improvement plan.

Happ said the village has considered numerous ways to fund programs to repair and upgrade the village's streets, water and sewer infrastructure. However, the real-estate transfer tax was defeated by referendum and a food and beverage tax was discouraged due to new non-smoking laws, Happ said in a report to the village board.

The gasoline tax is expected to raise about $250,000 a year.

"Current operating revenues will not support the debt service on another bond issue; therefore we must explore other options," Happ said.

Though three board members in attendance Tuesday supported imposing the tax, an ordinance requires four "yes" votes to prevail. Trustees Kay Teeter and Paul Humpfer were not present.

"I think it is a fair way of raising revenue from standpoint spreading out not only to own residents but to those who are using your roads," Village President Bill Sarto said. "With the way gas is fluctuating these days, I think it is going to be a relatively invisible tax anyway."

The proposal had received unanimous support from the village's audit and finance commission.

However, Trustee Judy Sigwalt said she would not support the 2 cent per gallon hike.

"We cannot keep dipping into the pockets of taxpayers in the village," Sigwalt said. "It is going to be a hardship on families trying to make ends meet as it is."

If approved, the tax would be effective May 1, Village Manager Craig Anderson said.

The board will continue its discussion at the March 4 meeting.