The Carbondale City Council passed a proposal at Tuesday night’s council meeting to raise Carbondale’s sales tax, which should help fund Saluki Way and other city projects.

The legislation will essentially raise $2.3 million in revenue annually and generate $20 million for SIUC’s Saluki Way over the next 20 years.

After council members split the vote 3-3, Mayor Brad Cole cast the decisive vote.

The legislation will raise the sales tax from 7.25 percent to 7.75 percent. Cole and City Manager Jeff Doherty introduced the proposal at a July 17 meeting.

The legislation will raise $2.3 million a year for a variety of community projects including a new public safety center, a new west side fire station, open space development and Saluki Way.

The Saluki Way project is planned to help develop a new campus core with a renovation of the SIU Arena and a new football stadium as highlights of the plan.

The donation, which Cole said would be the largest donation of its kind between both parties, should boost SIUC’s fundraising total to $59 million, leaving $21 million left to be collected, likely through private donations. About $38 million has already been collected through student fees.

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