INCOME TAX Officials move to put increase on Nov. ballot

The income tax issue must be addressed before eliminating the tax credit.
By TIM YOVICH
VINDICATOR TRUMBULL STAFF
HUBBARD -- City council has asked the law director to prepare legislation to place a 0.5-percent income tax increase on the Nov. 2 general election ballot.
Lawmakers approved the request Monday night by a 6-0 vote. Councilwoman Lisha Pompili-Baumiller, D-3rd, was out of town and absent from the meeting.
The legislation being sought would ask voters to increase the city income tax from 1.0 to 1.5 percent.
Auditor Michael Villano said that if approved by voters, the additional 0.50 percent would generate about $500,000 annually.
The legislation does not call for the elimination of tax credit for city residents who work out of town and pay an income tax to another community.
The legislation was requested by Councilman John Marshall, D-2nd, and contained the elimination of the tax credit. Villano had prepared the legislation, but Marshall wanted only the tax issue in the legislation.
Increase comes first
But Law Director Gary Gilmartin said during a break after the caucus session before the regular meeting that the issue of the income tax increase must first be resolved on the ballot.
Afterward, lawmakers can either decide to eliminate the tax credit by placing it before voters or eliminate it themselves.
Doing away with the tax credit would generate about $400,000 a year, Villano said.
Councilman Patton M. Gilliland, D-at-large, suggested the legislation be passed as an emergency, thus bypassing the three-reading process.
Council President John Darko called on the legislation to go through the readings process so lawmakers could be able to tell residents where the added revenue would be spent.
Mayor Arthur U. Magee, who proposed the tax increase, has presented council with a comprehensive five-year plan that shows where the money is needed.
Other matters
In another matter, Villano announced that council's minutes are now available on the city's Web site, www.cityofhubbard.com.
The auditor said that city ordinances with their history will eventually be on the site.
Also, Magee warned residents to get junked vehicles off their properties, noting such vehicles are lowering property values.
He called on property owners to get rid of the vehicles or they will be towed with owners paying for the tows.
In addition, the mayor said council should approve an ordinance to ban parking vehicles on front yards. It, too, reduces property values, Magee added.
yovich@vindy.com