Council Considers Sales Tax Extension

$110 Million Bond Program Mostly For New Streets, Improvements

Last updated Sunday, June 10, 2007 7:08 PM CDT in News

By Richard Dean Prudenti
The Morning News

* $16 million for additional park land and facilities improvement

* $5 million for fire department equipment and communication upgrades

* $5 million for police department building expansion and communication upgrades

* $800,000 for municipal airport infrastructure upgrades

"It's your (the taxpayer's) money, so you tell us how you want to spend it and we'll do it that way," Grider said.

"In my opinion, people will say streets are a 'go'" because they travel them and see the need for improved traffic flow in Bentonville, Grider said. "Or they may say, 'I think parks are the most important so that my children have a safe place to play.' Another person may say, 'Let's improve on our police and fire.'"

No new tax is necessary, just a 20-year or less extension on the existing sale tax for capital improvements. Voters originally approved this 1 percent sales tax in April 2003 with a 10-year sunset clause ending Oct. 1, 2013. The existing sales tax generates about $7 million annually.

Grider anticipates the council will discuss the bond program and election in a Committee of the Whole Meeting at 6 p.m. today at City Hall.

Sales tax revenue could increase and allow the city to pay off the $117.8 million in bonds sooner than when the sales tax is scheduled to expire Dec. 31, 2032.

"If this proposal is even moderately successful, that 25 years would diminish to 15 years, depending on growth," said Mayor Bob McCaslin.

McCaslin presented the program to the council last month.

A complete list of proposed street projects is available at City Hall.

Potential street projects include adding an interchange at Northeast "J" Street and Interstate 540. Lack of accessibility is why development is slow on the east and west sides of Interstate 540, north of the Arkansas 102 interchange, McCaslin said.

"You can see it, but you can't get to it," he said.

Realigning Arkansas 112 to Southwest "I" Street would keep traffic from stacking as Arkansas 112 approaches Southwest Regional Airport Boulevard. Traffic currently must use the boulevard to reach "I" Street.

McCaslin also is suggesting paving a 3,000-foot portion of dirt road on Southwest Eighth Street and creating safer and easier travel between the paved portion of Eighth Street and Southwest "I" Street.

"This is one of the easier things to accommodate, and (we'll see) some of the greatest return," he said.

Among other projects is an I-540 overpass bridging 28th Street and Olive Street.

"It's more than a challenge on many days (to travel in southeast Bentonville). Anyone who has tried it at lunch hour has probably been late or missed lunch," McCaslin said.

Other projects include an I-540 frontage road from Arkansas 72 north to Northeast "J" Street, which McCaslin said ultimately would add businesses to the city and bring in more sales tax revenue.

"Telling the future is really a hard thing. ... We don't know for sure how development will take place, but if it's like everything else, it will come with surprises, and hopefully we will have some funds to address them," McCaslin said.

MEETING INFORMATION

Bentonville City Council

On the Tuesday agenda:

* A contract with Allied Waste Services of Bella Vista to modify pickup schedules and services, add recycling services and provide for trash and recyclable containers

* Appoint Bob McCaslin to the Northwest Arkansas Conservation Authority Board, replacing Ed Austin, who resigned

* Appoint Horace Hardwick to the Bentonville Airport Advisory Board, replacing Scott Comiskey, who resigned

* Appoint Pat Carroll to the Bentonville Planning Commission when Tom Rife's term expires July 1

* Appoint Lisa Bohn to the Bentonville Planning Commission, replacing Mike Thedford, who resigned because he is moving outside Bentonville

* Appoint Paul Nelson to the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board

* An agreement with AT&T for Internet Protocol Television services in the city

* Purchase 2 acres on Arkansas 12 near Nomad Road for the future Fire Station No. 7

Source: City Of Bentonville

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