Council OKs tax on sporting events

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) - Two Marion County taxes will go up. The City-County Council approved them Monday night but not happily.

The objections from Republican Bob Lutz were echoed by others on the council — from both parties.

Critics said they felt they had no choice but to approve an increase in the admissions tax for events such as Indianapolis Colts and Indiana Pacers games.

They said they felt the same pressure about the proposal to raise the tax on rental cars.

"I feel I have an obligation to the citizens of Marion County to make sure that their government runs smooth tomorrow morning and not to have their agencies cut again — and because of that I will vote for this because it is the only other alternative the mayor gave us," Pam Hickman, a Democrat on the City-County Council, said.

The mayor's office said the decisions were based on a bi-partisan agreement reached by the mayor and both council party leaders.

And, in a statement released after the vote, the mayor's office said, in part, "Members of the City-County Council made difficult but necessary votes to strengthen the fiscal position of our city."