Should Little Rock and North Little Rock merge?

[NLRguy]

Why is it that when the subject of merging Little Rock and North Little Rock into one city, that it always seems to be people in Little Rock wanting what we have?

North Little Rock has a 3 mill sales tax, while Little Rock only has .5 mill sales tax. One mill in North Little Rock is just for the ballpark which I voted for. It would seem that Little Rock needs to raise your taxes.

As for joint effort, could there be a county wide coalition that begins to make all of us one metropolis?

[Architect]

Why is it that when the subject of merging Little Rock and North Little Rock into one city, that it always seems to be people in Little Rock wanting what we have?

North Little Rock has a 3 mill sales tax, while Little Rock only has .5 mill sales tax. One mill in North Little Rock is just for the ballpark which I voted for. It would seem that Little Rock needs to raise your taxes.

As for joint effort, could there be a county wide coalition that begins to make all of us one metropolis?

[vbfl85]

If a merger did occur, one of my biggest fears is that the name could become controversial. Lets not forget Helena-West Helena.

[Hyacinth]

If a merger did occur, one of my biggest fears is that the name could become controversial. Lets not forget Helena-West Helena.

[Aporkalypse]

Why is it that when the subject of merging Little Rock and North Little Rock into one city, that it always seems to be people in Little Rock wanting what we have?

North Little Rock has a 3 mill sales tax, while Little Rock only has .5 mill sales tax. One mill in North Little Rock is just for the ballpark which I voted for. It would seem that Little Rock needs to raise your taxes.

As for joint effort, could there be a county wide coalition that begins to make all of us one metropolis?

[LRU1967]

Why is it that when the subject of merging Little Rock and North Little Rock into one city, that it always seems to be people in Little Rock wanting what we have?

[turboturtle]

I think it's interesting that you point out it's the LR folks advocating merger. I would support merger but don't think it will happen as long as the push comes from LR. Opinions like that of "Central Arkansas" that "I'd send my child to all but one or two schools in LR before I'd send them to NLR. NLR is light-years behind LR, and will remain so unless they merge." don't give NLR residents a warm feeling toward their neighbors to the south.

[Aporkalypse]

You've shared your 'push' theory before, and I think it is a good one. I think the reason they won't merge in the next 50 years is because there is too much parity between the two cities.

[NLRguy]

I don't think NLR and LR alone will merge.

I think what everyone really wants is city-county consolidation and that would still leave NLR with some independent identity and would be a much more potent move for economic purposes.

[Aporkalypse]

When I'm out of CA (Central Arkansas) I tell people that I'm from North Little Rock, what they hear is Little Rock. In the same manner that people who live or work in West Little Rock, or South Little Rock are from Little Rock. There's an identity that is unique for each area of CA, and people from outside the state should know that as a metropolis we do have the population to be ranked on a national level.

So the issue should not be to merge Little Rock and North Little Rock, but to strength the umbrella of CA as an urban center.

[Architect]

I agree.

I think a city-county consolidation is a good way to do it. Just like with Miami's suburbs, NLR, Shewood, Jacksonville, etc will still have city limits and their own identity.

However, a city population of 370,000 would make it competitive with cities currently larger than LR in the region like Tulsa, OKC, and Memphis when it comes to tax base and what they can offer companies to relocate but also what they could offer in terms or projects. I think streamlining will make it easier to maintain county roads and come up with cohesive planning and transportation in a largely urban county.

[tim2462]

When there is a city/county merger...the population of the "new city" does not include that of incorporated cities outside of the principal city. Ex. Nashville-Davidson, TN - The populaton of that city is Nashville, plus the balance of Davidson County that is not incorporated. Therefore, Consolidating Little Rock and Pulaski County would not increase the population of Little Rock by much at all. I know it would push Little Rock over that ever elusive 200,000 mark...but it would not create a city of almost 400,000 like most people think.

In related news - Memphis is pushing to consolidate with Shelby County. While the population of Shelby County is over 900,000, all of that would not be Memphis. Memphis would only gain unincorparated areas of Shelby County. Cities like Germantown would still exist and that would not be counted in the population of Memphis.

[Architect]

When there is a city/county merger...the population of the "new city" does not include that of incorporated cities outside of the principal city. Ex. Nashville-Davidson, TN - The populaton of that city is Nashville, plus the balance of Davidson County that is not incorporated. Therefore, Consolidating Little Rock and Pulaski County would not increase the population of Little Rock by much at all.

[tim2462]

I'll admit that I'm not fully versed on legislation, but the general assumption around here is that the whole county would be consolidated, including the 7 (I think?) municipalities. That may be what many have done, but I'm assuming it could be structured any number of ways. Which way did Louisville handle it?

[Architect]

It looks like Louisville did it the same as I have mentioned.

The population of Louisville is 556,429

Jefferson County is 701,500

source http://www.census.gov

I also thought I'd mention something interesting about consolidating governments.

The cities of Texarkana, AR and Texarkana, TX have always operated 2 of everything.

They each have a police dept, mayor, and everything. Well, they are doing a study and

are considering consolidating the two governments and just having one of everything.

If this is done, it will be very interesting. That will essentially make them one municipality.

I've always wondered if Texarkana would one day become a district, similar to Washington, D.C.

Basically, if the two cities become one, then it will be the only city in the US that lies in two states.

There's a very interesting article about it that I posted over in the Texarkana forum.

[North Pulaski Player]

According to the 2006 census estimates, unincorporated Pulaski County has 53,417 residents. Even if Little Rock/Pulaski County does a consolidated city-county the way Nashville, TN and Louisiville, KY did it, that would boost LR's population to near 250,000. Throw North Little Rock in the mix, and that would create a city with a population nearing 300,000. Think of the clout that a city of that size would have opposed to a city with 190,000 and another with 60,000 and another with 30,000 and another with 20,000 and another with 15,000. Pulaski County is too fragmented!

Anyone know how to get a petition together so that this can be placed on the 2008 ballot? Or is it too late?

[Architect]

According to the 2006 census estimates, unincorporated Pulaski County has 53,417 residents. Even if Little Rock/Pulaski County does a consolidated city-county the way Nashville, TN and Louisiville, KY did it, that would boost LR's population to near 250,000. Throw North Little Rock in the mix, and that would create a city with a population nearing 300,000. Think of the clout that a city of that size would have opposed to a city with 190,000 and another with 60,000 and another with 30,000 and another with 20,000 and another with 15,000. Pulaski County is too fragmented!

Anyone know how to get a petition together so that this can be placed on the 2008 ballot? Or is it too late?

[bchris02]

I don't follow. We know that Pulaski County's population is 370-390K. A county-wide consolidated government includes everything, or 370-390K people. What do you mean by a population "nearing 300,000"?

[Architect]

300,000 is if only NLR and unincorporated Pulaski County are annexed.

[Stormcrow]

So not including Jacksonville, Sherwood, Wrightsville, etc? I think it would be all or nothing really, short of the other option of a LR-NLR only merger.

[Hyacinth]

An all or nothing merger is what's needed to thoroughly boost the area. I did research on this for a mid-term paper in college. I found that the most efficient and beneficial merger would be comprised of Little Rock, NLR, Maumelle, Sherwood and other municipalities within approximately 25-30 miles (excluding Conway and Jacksonville).

The current system of fragmentation has not helped spur much of anything in terms of growth and development. IMO

I also found that much of today's division arose from historical animosity as opposed to economic planning.

[Architect]

An all or nothing merger is what's needed to thoroughly boost the area. I did research on this for a mid-term paper in college. I found that the most efficient and beneficial merger would be comprised of Little Rock, NLR, Maumelle, Sherwood and other municipalities within approximately 25-30 miles (excluding Conway and Jacksonville).

The current system of fragmentation has not helped spur much of anything in terms of growth and development. IMO

I also found that much of today's division arose from historical animosity as opposed to economic planning.

[North Pulaski Player]

If LR merged with unincorporated Pulaski County, would that give some inertia for other mergers do you think?

[Stormcrow]

I'm quite sure that it would. If LR and unincorporated Pulaski County ever got in the planning stages of a merger, I think that North Little Rock would quickly attempt to jump aboard. NLR has some clout the way things are now, but they would lose a lot of power if they were competing against a city within the county with a population of 250,000. At this point, I don't see residents of Maumelle, Sherwood, Jacksonville, and Wrightsville going along with a merger, but I believe that LR, NLR, and unincorporated Pulaski County would go along with it. That would create a city of approximately 300,000. If that ever happened, you'd be surprised at how quickly economic development would occur in the "new" city. But I believe that it would have to take someone not involved in politics to get this started, because just bringing up the subject by a local political leader could be political suicide.

[EJC]

I agree that the smaller municipalities would not really want to get onboard. But I think if they were made into islands by the "new" city, they would begin to come around.

Sounds like a pipe dream but stranger things have happened in the past.