The D.C. Council voted to cut the city’s sales tax Wednesday, the first time the District has lowered its rate since the recession hit the nation.

The sales tax will fall in October from 6 to 5.75 percent, the Washington Times reported, where the rate has not stood since 2009. Council members expect the city to collect $92.3 million in extra revenue next fiscal year, compensating for the reduction.

The District now boasts the lowest tax rate in the region, with Maryland and northern Virginia’s rates set at 6 percent.

D.C. Chamber of Commerce President Barbara Lang told the Times that the cut would save consumers nearly $16 million over the next year. City legislators, who are mulling over how to best use a budget surplus projected to total $600 million in five years, might tweak other city taxes as well.

The Council increased the sales tax to 6 percent four years ago as it faced an almost $660 million shortfall, the Washington Post reported. The city’s economy has since rebounded, and legislators allotted $50 million for new spending initiatives in fiscal year 2014.

Mayor Vincent Gray, an alumnus, has proposed to use a portion of the money to expand early childhood education programs. Ward 2 Council member Jack Evans and two of his colleagues, who are all running for mayor this year, have also made pitches. The chair of the Council’s finance committee, Evans has called for more funding for arts programs.