For! Against! Opponents rally against fees; proponent group assembled
Posted on Thursday, March 29, 2007
The campaign against Fayetteville's proposed road impact fee is gaining steam, but a support group has been formed.
Members of Citizens 4 Fayetteville held a press conference Wednesday to discuss the negative implications of the proposed fee, which will be decided April 10 in a special election.
Listening to speakers' arguments on the steps of the Fayetteville Town Center were members of another group, Vote For Fayetteville, which recently formed to support the fees.
Both groups argue that their intent is to educate people about the proposed fees, which are intended to help cover the costs of projects that address traffic congestion caused by growth, as the fees can only be used to increase capacity.
Opponents of the proposal argue that the additional capacity won't be needed if the fees are approved.
"This medicine is going to kill the patient," said Mike Henry with Coldwell Banker Faucette Real Estate.
Henry was one of six speakers who cautioned against the fees, which they fear would cripple the city's ability to attract business. While the fees will hamper the city's ability to attract business, he said, they won't be enough to get the city ahead of the growth.
"Infrastructure always lags behind growth," he said. "You'll never find a city that is in front of the growth."
Cities live and die by sales tax, said Pam Jones, spokesman for Citizens 4 Fayetteville.
Jones argues that the fees are that in name only.
"These are not fees," she said. "They're a bad tax."
Jones said that if approved, the fees will essentially be an additional charge on top of what developers are already paying. The developers are building the infrastructure already, she said, and the fees would be "double taxes."
If the city is going to pay for its infrastructure needs, it must broaden its tax base rather than develop new charges, she said.
Among those opposing the impact fees were Jeff Koenig, chairman of the Fayetteville Economic Development Council; Matt Bodishbaugh, chairman of the Fayetteville Chamber of Commerce Board of directors; Paul Pinneo of Marshalltown Co.; and Ben Israel, chairman / CEO of Dixie Development.
Israel said the city administration cannot continue trying to fund additional amenities within a declining economy.
Opponents argue that adding the impact fees for roads will make it too expensive for certain businesses to locate to Fayetteville. That result would further diminish the already declining sales tax revenue, which in turn will require the city to increase property tax. If the city increases property tax it will extend the negative impact to the Fayetteville School District, which relies on property tax like the city depends upon sales tax.
Proponents of the fees were represented by Jeff Erf, Jim Bemis and Linda Ralston.
Vote For Fayetteville argues that the fees are the fair way to fund the infrastructure needs caused by growth that is not currently being covered by developers.
Bemis said while they are not trying to argue that developers aren't paying to build infrastructure, they are saying it's not enough. He said the people who are creating the strain on infrastructure by buying the new houses should pay for the strain rather than those who have lived here.
One argument for the fees is that it is the sprawl that is creating strain on city infrastructure, a cost that should be covered by those who are generating the need for increased capacity.
For more information about the group in favor of the fees, visit www. voteforfayetteville. org.
For more about the group against the fees, go to www. citizens 4 fayetteville. org.
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