The City Council endorsed today Mayor Bloomberg's plan to raise the city's sales tax to 8.875 percent. The measure, which passed 37 to 10, now goes to Albany for approval by the State Legislature. While those who voted against the increase argue the tax is regressive and unfair, City Council Speaker Christine Quinn says the measure will save 1,200 to 1,500 retail jobs. But, not all councilmembers who approved the tax say they did so willingly. Said Councilman Lewis Fidler to the Gotham Gazette: "If we don’t authorize the sales tax, as distasteful as it is, there will be layoffs...I prefer we find it somewhere else, but that is not the choice we have." The increase is expected to bring more than $500 million in new revenue to the city. Photo: mariab3bx on Flickr