MT. VERNON — The Mt. Vernon city council approved a 2.17 percent increase to the property tax levy for the coming year at Monday night’s meeting. The increase, which will amount to a little less than $63,000, will be used to cover increased pension costs not covered by the state of Illinois.

City council member Jim Rippy told the council before the vote that residents are taxed out, and there has to be that much money that can be cut from other areas.

Council member Jeff May says while he pushed for the staff layoffs a few years back, now there’s no meat left to cut off the bones of the city budget.

The council passed the levy increase 4-1, with only Rippy voting no. To hear full Mt. Vernon City Council meetings, you can listen to them live on the first and third Monday’s of each month on AM 940 and 96.5 FM, WMIX.