The Government of the Student Body has approved a bill to give $500 to the city of Ames as a goodwill gesture to help pay for satellite voting for the April 5 special election.

The special election ballot includes both a vote to reduce of City Council terms from four years to two years and a hotel/motel tax increase.

Ryan Doll, Towers Residence Association senator, said the money is meant to help with satellite voting on campus, because GSB sponsored the petition to put the City Council term limits on the ballot.

Bronwyn Beatty-Hansen, Graduate College senator, said the $500 is a small cost but a big gesture to Ames residents.

Dave Stout, College of Business senator, disagreed with the grant because many student organizations received cuts in funding, some of which wanted less than $500.

Brad Weed, College of Engineering senator, was also opposed to the gesture.

“I am not supporting this bill because I think the city should get used to pulling the weight of all of its citizens,” he said.

The meeting lasted more than seven hours because of discussions on the regular allocations process. At the beginning of the meeting, 81 different clubs and organizations were presented as a package bill to receive funding as suggested by the Finance Committee.

Senators divided out 24 of the clubs and debated funding for each. Treasurer Dan Becker said many groups have been cut this year, and a lot of groups have not received any funding.

The Finance Committee plans to meet Monday to discuss possible changes in funding, and in line items sent back to the committee. The revamped group allocations will then be approved or rejected at a later GSB meeting.