All Of Joliet's Tax Hikes Hinge On Bettye Gavin's Vote

JOLIET, IL —On April 2, incumbent Joliet City Councilwoman Bettye Gavin easily won her re-election against electrical contractor James Foster and Damon Zdunich. During her race, Gavin relied on the political support of Mayor Bob O'Dekirk, who ran unopposed. Since then, Gavin has shifted her allegiance to the mayor's nemesis, councilman Pat Mudron.

In June, Mudron pushed for the removal of Marty Shanahan as interim city manager. In August, Mudron pushed for the appointment of economic development director Steve Jones as the interim city manager for the next six months.

Mudron voiced his public support for Jones' proposed 2020 city budget which included several downtown parking rate fee increases, plus property tax increases to pay for a controversial $10.5 million remodeling to downtown's Joliet Public Library, plus an additional 3-cent per gallon gasoline tax for the citizens of Joliet, plus a 3-percent tax on Joliet's motel and hotel guests to bring the lodging tax to 10 percent.

The city's budget also contains fee increases for contractors and new construction. But at last week's meeting, the Joliet City Council failed to adopt the budget. It was a 4-4 vote.

Mudron, newly elected Sherri Reardon, Don "Duck" Dickinson and 30-year councilman Mike Turk, all gave the proposed tax and fee increases a thumb's up vote.

On the other side were Jan Quillman, Terry Morris, Larry Hug and Mayor O'Dekirk to vote against them. But the ninth member was a no-show, Bettye Gavin, who is also director of the Forest Park Community Center.

Because of Gavin's absence, the city had to schedule a special meeting to adopt the 2020 budget before New Year arrives.

Last week, Jan Quillman told everyone that she already planned to be on vacation so she won't be able to attend. Besides, she predicted, it's a foregone conclusion that Jones already lined up Gavin's vote to raise the city's fees and taxes as his budget outlined.

Joliet's special meeting takes place the day after Christmas, Thursday, Dec. 26. The meeting, on the second floor of City Hall, begins at 5:30 p.m.

How do you think Gavin will vote on the property and fee increases?

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