Ward 3 Alderman Justin Tennant is hoping voters approve an extension of the city’s 1-cent sales and use tax during a special election set for Oct. 11 in Fayetteville.
OK, maybe ‘hoping’ is an understatement.
“If you love living in Fayetteville, many of the reasons why you love living here are at risk if this renewal doesn’t pass,” Tennant told members of “Vote FOR Fayetteville.”
The recently formed citizen group kicked off its campaign to pass the sales tax renewal at a press conference Wednesday afternoon in front of the Fayetteville Fire Department’s Station 1 on Center Street near downtown.
Campaign handout
The 18-year-old penny sales tax — which must be voted on every 10 years — accounts for about $15.4 million in Fayetteville’s general and capital improvement funds and goes towards a variety of uses, including city employee payroll, street and sidewalk work, and trail construction.
Tennant warned those in attendance Wednesday that basic city services would be threatened if the extension is not passed.
“A vote ‘for Fayetteville’ would help keep approximately 148 jobs that would be likely eliminated,” he said. “This would include, unfortunately, up to 55 police department employees and 38 fire department workers.”
Although Tennant is the only alderman formally listed on the “Vote FOR Fayetteville” committee roster, he wasn’t the only council member in support of the referendum.
Alderwomen Adella Gray (Ward 1) and Rhonda Adams (Ward 4) encouraged those in attendance Wednesday to contact their friends and family to educate them about the October 11 ballot issue.
Another council member weighed in weeks ago.
“You don’t see me voting for taxes very often,” said Ward 3 Alderman Bobby Ferrel at an Aug. 2 council meeting, “but this is a rededication.
“We’re charged with fiduciary duties in running this city and this amount of money is critical in keeping it going. I think if you look back the last time this was rededicated, the citizens understood that.”
According to county officials, voters approved the tax in April 1993 by a vote of 3,675 to 619. The tax was extended in 2002 by a vote of 2,531 to 789.
Should the extension pass, it would remain in effect until June 2023.
Vote FOR Fayetteville members
Jay Amargos – managing director, ALPFA
Jeff Bishop – general manager, Northwest Arkansas Mall
Jody Dilday – executive director, Single Parent Scholarship Fund of NWA
David Erstine – VP to partner, Sage Partners
Greg Goggans – co-owner, The Goggans Agency
Justin Tennant – Ward 3 Alderman, Fayetteville City Council
Bill Waite – owner, Dickson Street Liquor
Oh yes, keep on taxing the citizens so .01% of them will have 200 miles of bike trails. I’m still waiting on these bike trails to boost the local economy, which has all but evaporated into Bentonville/Rogers.
The bike trails are open to everyone in Fayetteville and are heavily travelled. they raise our quality of life and lead to healthier, happier citizens, who are then more productive. Plus they attract healthy happy people to our town.
My family and i will be voting no
can anyone put up an accounting of all the sales tax pennies that make up our 10%? A peeny for this, a penny for that, do they ever expire or just get rolled over? If we vote down one of these suckers would the % we pay ever really go down?
Well…I’d say 10 of them…but I’m no math major.
pennies -
Arkansas takes 6 percent (1.5 for groceries), Washington County takes 1.25 percent, and Fayetteville takes 2 percent.
Fayetteville’s 2 percent sales tax is split evenly between the city’s general and capital improvement fund (vote on Oct. 11) and bonds to finance transportation and wastewater improvement projects.
In addition, Fayetteville has a 2 percent HMR tax for purchases at hotels, motels and restaurants which is split evenly between the city’s parks department and the A&P Commission.
thanks Todd–so 1% of the HMR tax goes right back to the A&P comish who get to promote events like this biker thing—more and more of them every year– and keep lining their pockets.
anyone seen the viagra booth down on dickson yet—sure fire money maker.
The ones voting no will be the first ones complaining when we lose the services and amenities that the sales tax pays for. If it were an increase I could see being hesitant about voting yes but it is the same one we have had for 18 years now..
What service, our excellent police force who pull over hispanics all day and write DWI’s because we have no public transportation. The stupid bike paths? They attract rich people??…. no, rich people jobs attract rich people, an 8th grader can figure that out. Fire department? Good job letting the building next door burn down. The population of fayetteville needs to realize our local government is much more corrupt than they think.
This is making the rounds but I think it applies very well here:
https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/308995_285426998134952_114517875225866_1156692_1879043807_n.jpg
That is hilarious! Please…if you are going participate in the election process at least take the time to learn how it works and what you are voting on.
Where can I find the budget and exactly what is paid for with that 1% that we are voting on?
Here is the budget: 2011 Adopted Annual Budget & Work Program
The 1% being voted on accounts for about $15.4 million in the General and Capital Improvement funds.
It really is time for the City to have to tighten its belt and make some tough decisions just like the rest of us. It seems sometimes that gov’t officials and staff live in a bubble that is much more protected than the majority of the citizenry yet here comes another gimme-more. Show us how and where the City plans to economize. Maybe start with reductions in the bloated salaries of some at the top. I’m voting no.
Seriously, this is a “gimme-the-same-as-we’re-getting-now.”
If you really think this is a “gimme-more,” you are apparently far more well-protected from reality than the government officials you so abhor.
Read the intro to the budget, which you can find at the link Todd posted. Some pretty big cuts were made. I have no idea if its enough, or where more could come from, but it looks like action has been taken over the last year.
I’ll vote yes. Now is not the time to raise taxes, but this just keeps levels the same as the last 18 years. Now is also not the time to lower taxes and take away funding for local programs that have relied on them for the last 18 years.
People who should know say there were actually 450,000 at bbbbbbq. So how much do you guess the city took in sales tax last week, or will get whenever its paid? Let that be in place of renewing the 1%. Give residents here a little break and a thank you for putting up with that bs.
Not T-party–
The need for this tax has continued since BB&BBQ began. However great the revenue generated by this year’s BB&BBQ– and I seriously doubt that your sources know much about its attendance, whether they should or not– the need for this tax continues.