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March 28, 2005
Hey, Let's Raise Taxes!
Hey kids, since we've gotten rid of all those nasty big businesses in Fayetteville, how are we going to pay for all this new stuff we want to buy? I've an idea, let's all get together and raise taxes.
Voters will be asked to increase property tax for schools by 4.8 mills in a special election May 10. If approved, the increase would fund $1 million a year for technology and increase the minimum salary for teachers to $38,000.
Also looming is a potential sales tax bond issue for street improvements and a possible 3.5-mill increase for the Fayetteville Public Library.
Mayor Dan Coody has proposed asking voters to approve a sales tax increase and extension to repay a $62.5 million bond issue for citywide transportation improvements. Aldermen have not yet decided whether to fund the improvement project with a sales tax, which would involve asking voters to adopt a quarter-cent sales tax that would be levied from 2005 to 2017, and a three-quarter-cent sales tax that would be in effect from 2013-2017.
Seeing as how the city has filed a lawsuit trying to get their hands on the school & library millages to fund the downtown TIF, I don't see the point in voting for increased millages for either.....at least until someone determines to which entity those taxes would actually go.
And as for adding to the sales tax rate, good luck with that. We already pay 9% sales tax in Fayetteville.....add another 2% hotel/motel/restaurant tax to those of you looking to visit our fair city. I wouldn't mind that one so much, our streets are in sad condition. But then I look around at all the hundreds of thousands (and in some cases a million +) of dollars spent on attractive landscaping, walking trails and gentrification of Dickson Street and well.....let's just say I'm not inclined to give them more money when they so obviously waste what they're already getting.
This is just the beginning of the city administration's shock of discovering that money doesn't grow on all those trees they've run businesses out of town to protect. When you drive away the most lucrative part of your tax base, guess who gets tapped to make up the difference?
Actions, meet consequences.
Posted by Rita at March 28, 2005 10:42 AM
Comments
Fortunately, a brisk walk on a well maintained trail through an attractive landscape will keep people generally contented,healthy, and docile, no matter how poor they become.
Posted by: Kenneth at March 28, 2005 08:33 PM
9&? Holy cow! Ours is that high, but we don't have income taxes to pay.
Posted by: Bob at March 29, 2005 08:26 AM
The new trail system is very nice, but I'll never get to use it b/c they don't allow you to walk with your dogs there. From what I've seen, it appears to primarily benefit the rather affluent neighborhood that's adjacent to it.
No kidding Bob, and don't forget with the HMR tax added, it's a whopping 11% tax to eat in a restaurant or stay in a motel here. That's sure increased tourism. Not.
BTW, have you read about the latest Dickson St. addition? They're turning the warehouse behind Roger's Rec into condos. It's just no fun down there anymore....too gentrified.
Posted by: rita at March 29, 2005 09:51 AM