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Monday, 09 November 2009 |
Benton voters have today and Tuesday to determine whether the city will have a half-cent sales tax dedicated to public safety.
At the close of the business day Friday, 860 people had cast ballots during the early voting segment of the election, County Clerk Freddy Burton said.
Early voting will continue until 4:30 p.m. today in the county voting center (Vote Here building) located adjacent to the courthouse annex on North Main Street, across from the courthouse.
If approved, the half-cent tax will create additional funding for the city’s three public safety departments — police, fire and 911 communications.
The tax was recommended by the Citizens Public Safety Committee, a subcommittee of the council’s Health and Safety Committee. The panel, for the past two years, has studied the public safety departments. The seven-member panel determined that the city is lagging far behind in meeting the needs of these departments and subsequently failing to adequately serve the residents of the city.
The public safety departments currently have no dedicated funding sources, as do others, such as streets and parks.
“First responders answer our calls daily ... it’s time for us to answer theirs” has been the theme of the campaign. As part of the committee’s study, a group of college students conducted a community survey in which many city residents expressed a desire for the fire department’s advanced life support service to be restored, Dave Mattingly, committee chairman, has noted.
That is one result that the tax would provide, Mattingly said.
Also possible with the tax approval would be:
•A police substation could be built that would be attached to a new fire station in northeastern Benton in 2011.
•Twelve new firefighters could be hired in 2011-12.
•Fourteen new police officers could be hired between 2010 and 2014.
•Fire station No. 4 could be renovated.
•The city’s 911 communications operation could be moved to City Hall.
•An around-the-clock public safety office at City Hall could be established.
•Three 911 communications specialists could be hired.
•A contingency fund could be maintained for future capital improvements.
•A full-time public safety grant coordinator could be hired.
In reviewing some of the panel’s findings, pointed out that none of the members of his group could be considered “pro-tax.”
“After a lengthy review process, the committee believes this plan represents the most reasonable and effective method of providing the citizens of Benton with the public safety services required to match the significant population growth of the past eight years ... and address the public safety needs through 2015,” he said.
The tax would take effect April 1, 2010, and would generate around $2.4 million each year.
The tax proposal includes a 10-year sunset clause that would lower the tax rate to a quarter-cent starting Jan. 1, 2021, unless voters should decide to repeal the tax.
In addition to Mattingly, others who served on the Public Safety Committee are Don Birdsong, Robert Edwards, Carolyn Boone, Mary Kay Mooney, Bill Hampton and Winnie Stamps.
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