INDIANAPOLIS -- The Indianapolis/Marion County City-County Council Monday night will begin tackling how to fund the new Colts stadium.

At tonight's meeting, the proposed food and beverage tax hike will be introduced. Local lawmakers will have until the end of next month to decide if it will go into effect.

If it does, the provision will mean an increase in the tax rates of the county food and beverage tax, the county admissions tax, the supplemental auto rental excise tax and the county's innkeeper's tax. The tax they pay now would increase 1 percent.

This would now be possible thanks to a bill signed into law by Gov. Mitch Daniels on May 11 that would allow this tax increase to happen.

Daniels said it's an important funding source for the Colts stadium and said earlier this month he'll come down to council meetings to help convince council members of that.

"I hope that the merits of this project are self-evident to folks who will finally cast those votes," Daniels said. "But if someone needs them explained or my advocacy can be helpful, I'm glad to offer it."

Marion and the seven counties immediately surrounding it could be affected.

The council has until June 30 to adopt this tax hike.