Rockford Aldermen Hold a Special Meeting to Discuss Another Sales Tax Increase Referendum

Rockford, Illinois- "I think we got started," laughs Rockford Alderman John Beck. But nothing was decided, not even if putting the increase on the November ballot is a good idea. In November the Rockford School District will put their own referendum up for a vote. "I think the voters are smart enough to see there`s a separate tax issue for the schools," says Rockford Alderman Jeff Holt. "There may not even be enough support in the council to put it on the November ballot," says Beck. "So we`ve got a lot of work ahead of us." Tim Emert of the Winnebago County Taxpayers Advocates was at the special meeting. "Theres been only one time that the road referendum failed and that`s when the school referendum was on the ballot," says Emert. "Both of them failed." The Winnebago County Taxpayers` Advocates was behind a campaign that helped defeat a similar sales tax proposal less than four months ago. Alderman talked about different approaches to the referendum, so it won`t get defeated again. "At half percent sales tax, what that would do is bring in about the same amount of money as the referendum," says Holt. "So we would be swapping the sales tax for the road referendum." "Were going to go to the general public and ask the voters: What do you think? What are your suggestions? What do you feel about this?" says Rockford Alderman Dan Conness. The city will hold a public forum sometime next week. The finance committee must vote on the ordinance by August 14th if it`s to make it on the November ballot.