Sections
Conditions for Little Rock, AR at 12:53 pm CST
Current Conditions:
Mostly Cloudy, 69 F
Forecast:
Wed - Partly Cloudy. High: 70 Low: 49
Thu - Sunny/Wind. High: 77 Low: 43
Full Forecast at Yahoo! Weather
(provided by The Weather Channel)
Little Rock Mayor Wants City's Capital Projects To Move Forward
City board directors want to hear input from citizens in Little Rock on how to spend revenue from the city’s one cent sales tax that began in January. Voters approved 3/8 of a penny to fund capital projects for the next 10 years.
City director Joan Adcock says revenue from the tax is expected to be $17 million for 2012 but the city needs $35 million to get all projects up and running. The city will get short term bonds to make up the difference.
Adcock says projects focusing on public safety like updating the emergency call system, police and fire projects are the city board's top priority. She says public works projects that include fixing streets and drainage are second on the list. The preliminary draft of projects was presented to city officials Tuesday night and Adcock says it should have gone to citizens first.
“It was my feeling that we should have waited until we had gone out to the citizens and asked them. They're paying the sales tax. We told them that we would be fair and equal. Some of the wards seem like they got more (funds) than other wards,” says Adcock
Mayor Mark Stodola says he wants to start projects as soon as next month to take advantage of historically low interest rates. He says public input is important to himself and city officials. Stodola says they have listened to citizens during ward visits when campaigning for the sales tax and informally.
A citizen advisory board that will make sure the tax revenue is spent properly has not yet been set up. The city board will vote for candidates of the advisory board at their next meeting, February 7.
Post your comment