The Iowa City City Council will hold a public hearing and second vote on the self-supporting municipal improvement district tax levy on Nov. 22.

The first hearing on Nov. 1 was passed unanimously in a 4-0 vote, with Councilors Matt Hayek, Connie Champion, and Terry Dickens abstaining because of conflicts of interest.

The levy would call for a $2 tax for every $1,000 in taxable value. The tax will then go to maintenance and marketing for Iowa City’s downtown and Northside Marketplace.

The petition to create a ordinance was submitted to the city in August. After approval from the Planning and Zoning Commission, the proposal was passed to city councilors for a vote.

A petition was submitted to city councilors opposing the municipal district signed by 17 percent of property owners owning 23 percent of the property. If a petition is signed by 25 percent, it would have to be passed through a unanimous vote. If the petition is signed by 40 percent of property owners, the issue is "declared dead."

The last municipal-district hearing will take place Dec. 6. If passed, the Downtown Association’s committee hopes to implement the district in January 2012.

— by Asmaa Elkeurti