Evansville council hears public concerns, engineer briefing during first reading of proposed wheel tax

The Evansville Common Council held a first reading Aug. 11 on a proposed municipal wheel tax and spent more than an hour hearing public comment and an engineering briefing about state grant program changes that council members and staff say make the local tax necessary to secure future road funding.

Council President Trotman opened public comment after the council noted that the wheel-tax ordinance would not be voted on that evening and was at first reading, allowing residents to speak before a vote at a subsequent meeting.

The proposed wheel tax has been tied by city officials to two state actions: Senate Bill 1, which council members said has reduced local revenue, and House Bill 1461, which restructured the Community Crossings matching-grant program. "We will lose upward of $15,000,000 over the next three years," President Trotman said as an explanation the administration and finance staff have given for exploring the levy; that figure was cited during council remarks explaining why the tax is under consideration.

Residents raised…