FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO): Would you be willing to pay more income tax to help fund riverfront development? A group of local officials are hoping so.

Fort Wayne City Councilmen John Crawford, Tom Didier, Tom Freistroffer and Glynn Hines joined Mayor Tom Henry and officials from Fort Wayne Community Schools for a press conference at Citizens Square this afternoon to propose a .15% increase in the city’s local income tax.

“Enthusiasm to proceed with the full scope of riverfront development is high among the great majority of citizens. Having a vibrant and thriving riverfront destination is will allow the City of Fort Wayne to attract and retain high-paying jobs and top talent which will ensure that our economy continues to grow far into the future,” said Crawford. “Having a strong neighborhood core for citizens to reside is imperative to the health of Fort Wayne. Improving our infrastructure in making sure that there are sidewalks for every child to walk to school on and that our neighborhoods are connected is paramount to the overall health of the community. I am thankful for the strong leadership of these members of the Fort Wayne City Council who are standing with me today and Mayor Henry, who are all committed to moving our city forward.”

They say the increase would bring in almost $10-million a year, not only for the riverfront project, but also for sidewalk repairs. The average household with an income of $49,000 would see an increase of $6 per month, or $73 per year.

WOWO News first told you about Crawford’s plan earlier this week.