Bemidji City Council Proposes Sales Tax Increase

The Bemidji City Council plans to move ahead with the resolution to add three items, which include sewer, water and Sanford Center capital improvements, into a sales tax.

Originally, the council’s focus was on the food and beverage tax. But after weighing their options, they’ve decided to table the hospitality tax for a later time and instead opted for a half percent increase in sales tax. This tax would include wastewater issues and the capital improvements of the Sanford Center. Council members plan to pass the sales tax proposal next Tuesday during the city council meeting.

“We have many many needs that we just cannot tax our way to fix. So, we’re looking at other kinds of creative ways to find resources and so, it’s trying to balance those needs,” Bemidji Mayor Rita Albrecht said. “What is our most critical and what is it that we should be looking at, because we don’t want to have to come back next year for another sales tax.”

After that, they will have until January 31, 2020 to submit the tax proposal to the State Legislature.