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CHRISTINA GRAY Daily Egyptian Carbondale residents may see an increase in either sales or property taxes beginning as early as next year. The Carbondale City Council will discuss whether to increase the sales tax to 8.5 percent or reinstate an old city property tax at its Dec. 21 meeting as a way to pay for increasing fire and police pensions, Councilman Joel Fritzler said. Fritzler said he sent out a short survey to residents of the Arbor District Neighborhood Association to see which tax hike its residents favored. He said so far, the survey shows more residents in favor of a sales tax increase. “I feel raising the sales tax is the only option here,� Fritzler said. But City Manager Allen Gill said reinstating the property tax is one of few available ways to generate the money needed for public safety pensions. Gill presented increases to fiscal year 2012’s General Fund at the Nov. 23 council meeting, which showed the money needed for police and fire pensions would increase $471,682 in 2012. He said reinstating the property tax would pay the $810,000 police and fire pension funds. “The size of the deficit we’re looking at now really can only be offset by a major revenue source or by major cutbacks in personnel,� Gill said. “There is no way we can do that after what we’ve already done without cutting back public services.� Gill said increasing the sales tax would only make the city more dependent on the volatile economic changes. The sales tax rate has been steadily increasing while the revenue has stayed relatively flat, he said. The city terminated the property tax in 2002 when budget surpluses were shown, but Gill said today that situation is no longer true. “The expenses have outstripped the revenue, and this is the recommended way to offset that deficit,� Gill said. Please see SALES TAX | 3
GENNA ORD | DAILY EGYPTIAN
Miette La Faver, 4, stands on the Bucky Fuller Dome float Saturday in the Lights Fantastic Parade. Business owners on the Strip said
the parade brought more families into their stores, a shift from their usual clientele of college students.
Parade illuminates streets, businesses SARAH SCHNEIDER Daily Egyptian Melanie Friedman, a new resident of Carbondale, says the Lights Fantastic Parade is a great idea not only because it is a family activity, but it also opens people's eyes to downtown businesses. “It is a fun family event because
a lot of people come down here with their kids, but people also come down here and see things they didn’t know were down here and didn’t know were open,� she said. Friedman and her 3-year-old son Duncan watched the parade of floats, marching bands and Santa’s sleigh all decorated in Christmas lights Saturday on the Strip in Carbondale.
Meghan Cole, executive director of Carbondale Main Street and member of the Lights Fantastic Parade committee, said more than 10,000 people attend the annual event sponsored by Carbondale Park District, Carbondale Community Arts, City of Carbondale and Carbondale Main Street. She said the event brings foot traffic to the
downtown area and promotes its businesses. She said the event costs anywhere from $10,000 to $20,000 due to electrical, advertisement and promotion costs and coordination with city services to have the roads closed. Please see LIGHTS | 4
Students share holiday traditions, learn others SARAH SCHNEIDER Daily Egyptian The best way to learn about another culture is to share in its celebrations, says Carla Coppi, director of International Programs and Services. “If I went to India, I would want to go to a Diwali celebration; if I were going to Hong Kong I would want to go to a New Year’s celebration,� she said. “That is the best way to understand a culture, because you hear the music and taste the cuisine.� More than 30 international students and volunteers celebrated the winter holidays together Sunday at
the International Holiday Party at the Stone Center by singing songs, decorating cookies, visiting with Santa Claus and sharing stories and traditions of holidays in different parts of the world. Coppi said the multicultural gathering started in 1989 to give international students a feel for the holiday season in America. “It gives visitors a chance to hear some of the international students talk about winter festivals from their countries because we don’t want it just to be about our holiday season, we want it to be about their holiday season as well,� she said. Maria Clemencia Zambrano, a
graduate student in biology from BogotĂĄ, Colombia, said Christmas is the most important holiday in her country. She said the holiday focuses on Jesus and his birth, as opposed to how people in other parts of the world center on Santa Claus. She said children in Colombia write letters to baby Jesus instead of Santa and families also participate in a tradition. She said Colombians open their gifts on Christmas Eve and sing and dance around the tree, and on Christmas Day, they rest. “I love this holiday, and I am leaving in 10 days to go home and
be with my family,� Zambrano said. Gunjan Sahni, a graduate student in workforce education and development from Jammu and Kashmir, India, said she celebrated Christmas in India, but the main holiday that would be an equivalent to Christmas is the Hindu religious festival Diwali. “Holiday traditions in India are a blend of dancing, gifts and food,� she said. “But holiday traditions are similar throughout the world because the most important part for many is family.� Please see INTERNATIONAL | 4