NORTHPORT., Ala. (WIAT) — Northport city councilors got an earful Monday night about the proposed 1% sales tax increase.

The council is currently considering hiking up the city’s sales tax, meaning those in the city would have to pay 10 cents in taxes on each dollar spent, making the sales tax in the city 3%. Currently, there is a 9-cent sales tax in Northport at 2 percent.

According to Mayor Donna Aaron, the additional sales tax would bring in approximately $5 million annually, which she would like to see used for capital projects, with a percentage going toward the city’s capital reserves.

Jim Bennett, who has lived in the city for two years, spoke out against the proposed sales tax increase.

“It seems like government is always finding more excuses and reasons to raise taxes rather than try to figure out what to do with the money we’ve already got,” Bennett said.

However, resident Shawn Blackburn was in favor of the sales tax hike.

“We have an opportunity for some revenue and I stand in confirmation that that’s exactly what we need to do so we can rebuild our city,” Blackburn said.

Across the Black Warrior River, the city of Tuscaloosa recently approved raising its sales tax to 3 percent, making it the first sales tax increase in the city since 1991.

The council will review the information in addition to the public feedback with a possible vote coming Aug. 5.

“We’re still growing, we’re still managing on the sales tax that we have but it certainly would be nice to give us enough cushion to do some things to that would really make our lives better in the city of Northport,” Aaron said.