During a hastily
scheduled meeting, held Monday evening (Sept. 11), seven members of
the Alexander City Council decided to set next year’s property tax
rate at 3-mils and accept the gift of property from the Arkansas
Department of Human Services (DHS). The millage rate for next year’s
tax collection must be set in September. According to Mayor Paul
Mitchell DHS requires the city accept the offer before it officially
decides to deed the abandoned Alexander Human Development Center to
the city.
The reduction of the
property tax from the maximum five-mils to three is being offered as
a “Thank You” in expectation of voters approving an increase in
the city sales tax from two-cents to three. The sales tax increase is
expected to add around $432,000 to the general fund. If the sales tax
increase fails the city could lose around $36,000 to the general fund
due to the millage decrease. The referendum for the sales tax is set
for November 14.
The offer from DHS
to deed the Alexander Human Development Center property to the city
was made public at the city’s February meeting. Mitchell has said
having 65 acres owned by the city can be useful as a bargaining chip
to attract a major development like a super market or strip mall. The
property is located in Alexander along Highway 111.
According to
Mitchell of the 65 acres 40 acres are leased by Pathfinder, Inc.,
which operates apartments for adults with special needs. The city
will inherit the lease as well.
DHS has been trying
to sell the property and buildings to developers since it was closed
several years ago as the result of a state-wide lawsuit. To settle
the suit residents were moved to apartment-like settings and the
buildings have been vacant ever since.
Attending the
meeting and voting “Yes” for both motions were Joe Pollard, Joy
Gray, Juanita Wilson, Harold Timmerman, Dan Church, Melissa Ratliff,
and Jeff Watson. Alderwoman Elizabeth Bland was out of state and was
counted as a “No” vote.
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ReplyDeleteJUST A FEW CLARIFICATIONS:
SORRY ALEX, NOTHING HASTY ABOUT IT. THIS HAS BEEN IN THE WORKS AS YOU MENTIONED IN PARAGRAPH 3 SINCE FEBRUARY. THE MEETING WAS CALLED AFTER CITY DECIDED THE COURT AND COUNCIL CAN BOTH MEET ON THE SAME DAY. THE MAYOR IS INDISPOSED ALL THIS WEEK.
THE REDUCTION OF THE 5 MIL TAX WAS NOT A 'THANK YOU' IT COMES BEFORE THE ELECTION AND STANDS REGARDLESS. MAYOR HAS WANTED TO REDUCE IT AND BUSINESS LICENCE FEES FROM DAY 1. BUSINESS LICENSE FEES TAKE A LOT MORE WORK. IT IS A VERY LENGTHY DOCUMENT.
THE SALES TAX AND MILLAGE RATE FIGURES QUOTED IN PARAGRAPH 2 ARE ANNUAL FIGURES.
PATHFINDERS CURRENT LEASE EXPIRES IN ABOUT 4.5 YEARS
It says, "hastily scheduled meeting" as in suddenly there's a meeting not suddenly there's a decision. If this was so well planned why did the E-mail notice go out two and a half hours before the meeting? My apology for not mentioning those are 2016 figures. And yes, the property tax decrease was presented as "Giving back" to residents for voting to increase the sales tax. The question was do you wait to see if it passes and then lower it next year, or lower it now and wait to see if the city gets shafted by the voters who want both, lower property taxes without increasing the sales tax. Who would think you can't use the courtroom hours after it's not being used?
DeleteNo problem, City Hall followed all laws regarding posting. In addition Juanita called everyone who needed to be there. Clarifications were for general public; not correction. Also the court room is set up a little different that council, but we got by. Also another 'glitch' was Mrs. Mayor was scheduled for surgery this week, Mayor scheduled his meeting around her schedule.
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ReplyDeleteNOT RIGHT TO FOLLOW THE LAW?
DeleteAND WHO OR WHAT gives you the right or authority to declare what another person thinks? Your bitterness and hatefulness are not attractive, nor are they persuasive.
It's not Mayor Paul...His name is Mayor Mitchell... Respect The Office of Mayor
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ReplyDeleteThe $36,000 is an estimate of how much revenue the general fund will lose with the millage decrease, based on how much the general fund received in property taxes in 2016. Does your $2.50 include property taxes on vehicles?
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ReplyDeleteIf someone is living here with out-of-state-plates that's illegal. Since you know where they are why don't you take down their address and license plate number and turn them in?
DeleteDO YOU LIKE THE PROGRESS WE SEE GOING ON IN TOWN?
ReplyDeleteDO YOU WANT THE PROGRESS TO CONTINUE?
DO YOU WANT AN ANSWER TO THE ANIMAL PROBLEM? The new property has buildings adequate for what we need. There are people licensed by the state of Arkansas who have volunteered to help Alexander set up a state approved system of animal control. We can’t stop at putting the animal in a city vehicle; it doesn't disappear at that point. It has just become the city’s expense. It is not included in the budget; there are no funds to support it at this point. It is possible with the gifted property. Mayor has been working on this since 2015. It is nearing reality.
AN ANSWER TO THE TRASHY YARDS, BURNED OUT LOTS LOADED WITH ASH, DEBRIS, VERMIN, ETC.? The Mayor has been consistently working on this one, just this week he said he received a lot of information for city hall and the attorney regarding laws and responsibility on both sides.
City has to pay up front for all that cleaning and hauling, and even THAT takes legal procedure. In the long run city can recover the losses, but that can take years as well as personnel, because reports have to be made to the state on every property and every action. This is not currently budgeted, but only with the passage of the tax initiative can council call for it.
DO YOU WANT TO SEE THE REST OF THE STREETS FIXED? Street repair and resurfacing, ditching and cleaning, mowing and hauling are some of the things the street department is financially responsible for. Funds are restricted for street use only, and it’s focus on the ability of its citizens to get around conveniently and safely; plus related responsibilities, like water run-off. Currently we see a lot of progress in that area, but we are looking for a few years of no other improvement except for the grant that began all the repairs in 2015 in order to recover a working capital again. It took many years of nothing but patching to have enough in the bank to do the resurfacing we have seen in 2015, 2016 and 2017. Streets are very expensive. This mayor has saved a lot of time and expense in using state funds and county work crews, along with their equipment to accomplish all that you see today. All we pay for is labor. We purchase fuel and street supplies at their cost. We are not buying from a private company whose objective is profit. The new tax initiative will help there as well. The Mayor said his next goal is beginning the secondary streets of Alton Drive and Regency, after that the neighborhood streets; after that – START OVER AGAIN.
DO YOU WANT A GROCERY STORE AND OTHER AMENITIES? Any development and progress is going to take money – for the most part we pay it already. Buying groceries, shopping at Wal-Mart or the malls of Bryant, Benton and Little Rock builds the communities of Bryant, Benton and Little Rock. We had a one cent tax initiated in 2003, one cent in 2005 and have not had an increase in 12 years.
I LIKE WHAT I SEE, AND I WANT TO INVEST IN ALEXANDER. I want to see costs come down just like you do, but until we invest in the continuance of the progress already begun, WE WILL STAY JUST AS WE ARE. I support the Mayor and I AM PROUD of his plans for the community.
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DeleteJ Doe Blogger, thank you for printing something positive and informative. To often the people of Alexander who do read this don't really get to see the whole picture and what results can be had by the thinking of people who see future for a city that has been stagnant. I say the city showed who they were in trusting with they're future by where the votes went and actions then speak louder than all the words negative people can type as fast as there fingers will go. I see that your posting should help people to understand this thing called economics and how it plays a vital part in city growth. The mayor and I do appreciate comments and idea's posted here that are of good judgement leading to what we all want to see " A city that we can all be proud of; raise our children in, that will give them a future also. nuff said!
ReplyDeleteThanks, I have found from my experiences in coaching, that 'arm-chair quarterbacks' never get out of the recliner and really watch the game, much less get involved.
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