Fayetteville Budget

[cowbreath]

So we've been having issues with the Fayetteville budget lately not being properly funded by sales revenue. Apparently we don't spend enough in Fayetteville to improve Fayetteville. I suggest we shut down an I-540 section or something and ticket drivers during the detour. Also if we can't get more outsiders shopping here to tax them, our city should be more direct and just ask us for our money.

Ok, so this post is controversial. Let me go ahead and get off topic already and get to the real controversial subject. I laughed when I saw that our council tabled the budget talking in order to address making an amendment about board members using abusive speech. I laughed because of what the board member (Jon Zimmer) said who instigated it.

"So far as I'm concerned, this is by far the most misguided proposal I can imagine," Zimmer said. "How much money is being spent right now putting up Christmas lights ? The whole Square, for the last two weeks, has been occupied by monstrous machines and highly paid, I'm sure, rednecks, climbing up and down to put up all these lights. I think the cable channel is infinitely more important."

[Mith242]

This might be a hard list to come up with. I might have a easier time making a list of things I don't want cut. I'll see what I can come up with when I'm back from the Thanksgiving weekend.

[cowbreath]

This might be a hard list to come up with. I might have a easier time making a list of things I don't want cut. I'll see what I can come up with when I'm back from the Thanksgiving weekend.

[mzweig]

So we've been having issues with the Fayetteville budget lately not being properly funded by sales revenue. Apparently we don't spend enough in Fayetteville to improve Fayetteville. I suggest we shut down an I-540 section or something and ticket drivers during the detour. Also if we can't get more outsiders shopping here to tax them, our city should be more direct and just ask us for our money.

Ok, so this post is controversial. Let me go ahead and get off topic already and get to the real controversial subject. I laughed when I saw that our council tabled the budget talking in order to address making an amendment about board members using abusive speech. I laughed because of what the board member (Jon Zimmer) said who instigated it.

link to article

Now what he said was obviously wrong, but you know I can't help but share his sentiments sometimes. Sometimes I feel like there is some "good ole boy" system in the management reaches of construction and physical labor sectors. I'm sure that doesn't apply too much to city workers who probably don't get paid that much.

Anyways, back on subject: any opinions for or against certain budget cuts?

[cowbreath]

I'm against any budget cuts other than non-essential personnel, and I don't know who that would be. I would like to see the city spend more. If they have to raise property taxes, that's what should happen. Sales tax is a regressive tax and hurts the lowest income people the most. I think our property taxes are really low here...very low. For example, my property taxes on my house in the Boston area were about $18,000 when I sold it in 2004. My property taxes in Fayetteville, on a house that is nearly as valuable as the one I had in Boston, are about $3800. That's a major difference. Don't get me wrong--I don't want to raises taxes unless it's absolutely necessary, but studies have shown that tax increases invested in improving schools always come back many times over in increased property values.

Mark

[zman9810]

So we've been having issues with the Fayetteville budget lately not being properly funded by sales revenue. Apparently we don't spend enough in Fayetteville to improve Fayetteville. I suggest we shut down an I-540 section or something and ticket drivers during the detour. Also if we can't get more outsiders shopping here to tax them, our city should be more direct and just ask us for our money.

Ok, so this post is controversial. Let me go ahead and get off topic already and get to the real controversial subject. I laughed when I saw that our council tabled the budget talking in order to address making an amendment about board members using abusive speech. I laughed because of what the board member (Jon Zimmer) said who instigated it.

link to article

Now what he said was obviously wrong, but you know I can't help but share his sentiments sometimes. Sometimes I feel like there is some "good ole boy" system in the management reaches of construction and physical labor sectors. I'm sure that doesn't apply too much to city workers who probably don't get paid that much.

Anyways, back on subject: any opinions for or against certain budget cuts?

[Mith242]

There's still talk about the city possibly cutting the Lights of the Ozarks. At first I didn't think that much of it, thought it was just being mentioned to make a point. But I'm beginning to feel that it could possibly happen. I guess it all boils down to everyone's own opinion, but I don't think cutting the Lights of the Ozarks would be the best way to cut the budget. I would think it brings in some tourism, especially because of the whole setting. Now it has been mentioned that other cities have lights but it's not done by those cities themselves. But I'd sorta hate to cut it and then see if anyone else picks up the ball. I have also heard mention about possibly getting a company sponsor it like Arvest. They're probably the only company located in that area with the resources to pull it off. I don't think that would be too bad of an option. I'm just not sure if there would be someone with enough private funds to keep this going if the city does cut it. But I admit it's going to be hard to decide what all to cut. Obviously cutting anything is going to make at least some people mad no matter what you pick.

[masons_dad1]

There's still talk about the city possibly cutting the Lights of the Ozarks.

[Mith242]

I just got back from a trip to Louisiana and was amazed at how many Christmas lights I saw while driving through the state. It seemed like every town I drove through was fully decked out. Some of the downtowns in Louisiana took my breath away. When I got back to Arkansas I realized that Arkansas is a pretty depressing state when it comes to Christmas lights. Fayetteville is the only town I've been to in Arkansas where I've seen anything that comes close to what I saw in Louisiana. So, does it really matter if the get rid of the Lights of the Ozarks in a state where Christmas lights are pretty rare to begin with?

[masons_dad1]

I just don't think you've been looking in the right areas. We are talking about a state that used to have one of the biggest displays around a while back. I think the guy's name was Osborn or something like that. He lived down in Little Rock, now his display is split up into different areas including Disney. I haven't been to Louisiana at this time of year so I don't know what they have or where exactly you were. But I do know some other Arkansas cities have light displays as well.

[Mith242]

I don't think there's anywhere in western Arkansas that even comes close to what I saw in western Louisiana as far as Christmas lights are concerned. Other than Lights of the Ozarks that is.

[Mith242]

Looks like the Lights of the Ozarks is safe, or at least for another year. Several things were saved because the city decided to put off buying a new fire engine that would have come in over $300,000. But if 2008 doesn't start seeing some more revenue coming in again don't be surprised to be having this discussion again at the end of 2008.

[Stormcrow]

Looks like the Lights of the Ozarks is safe, or at least for another year. Several things were saved because the city decided to put off buying a new fire engine that would have come in over $300,000. But if 2008 doesn't start seeing some more revenue coming in again don't be surprised to be having this discussion again at the end of 2008.

[aerotive]

Does the chamber still get city money? Getting them off the government dole would be a good place to start.

[Mith242]

Does the chamber still get city money? Getting them off the government dole would be a good place to start.