Final answer:
To find this year's expected budget deficit for Bloomington, calculate 50% of last year's deficit ($298,250) and add it to the original deficit, resulting in a new deficit of $447,375.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student has asked how to calculate this year's expected budget deficit for the city of Bloomington, given last year's deficit and the percentage increase. To solve this, we calculate 50% of last year's deficit, which is $298,250, and add it to last year's deficit to find this year's expected deficit.
First, find 50% of $298,250:
0.50 × $298,250 = $149,125
Next, add this amount to last year's deficit to find this year's expected deficit:
$298,250 + $149,125 = $447,375
Therefore, the expected deficit for this year in Bloomington is $447,375.