Fred Buckenmeyer is proposing an emphasis on upgrading arterial and collector streets, but still improving residential streets. “This is the least expensive option that includes residential streets.”
Buckenmeyer included residential streets, which face much less wear-and-tear than more-used streets, because they’re the closest to residents. He pointed out in an earlier presentation that the public drives on residential streets only 10% of the time they’re in a car. They’re on collectors or arterials the rest of the time.
A survey of every block of the city’s streets shows they are not, on average, in good shape. Some streets, such as a block or two of M Ave are in awful shape. The city has fallen behind on street maintenance year after year, not even funding any street maintenance at all for 3 of the last 7 years. And, for the other 4 years, the city funded only $185,000, on average, for repairs.
To fund the $40-million expense over the next ten years, Buckenmeyer proposed re-allocating some of the city’s current income, and adding new sources of income, including a property tax levy and an annual car tab fee.
Buckenmeyer’s plan includes re-directing $100,000 in current property tax income to city streets and adding a $1 property tax levy for ten years. Also, he would allocate to streets $100,000 in current sales tax revenue, about $250,000 in real estate taxes, and about $150,000 of the $300,000 in income the city receives from the Port for transfer of sulphur across city streets.
In addition, Buckenmeyer proposed adding a $20 annual car tab fee.
Buckenmeyer told the Council the fund reallocations would not affect any other city programs. In fact, the city had a surplus of about $400,000 last year.
He proposed increasing the city’s solid waste utility tax from 3.4 percent to 12 percent. He said that would add 60 cents for a resident using a 20-gallon garbage can. This would, he said, bring the cost solid waste fee to $7.84 from the current $7.24 per month. “This is a tax on something we want people to use less of,” he said.
Finally, he proposed putting to voters on the November ballot a one-percent levy for ten years. The levy would add $350 per year to the property tax bill on an a $350,000 home. The property tax levy would be the only change which requires a public vote.
The changes would take place as part of the city Council establishment of a Transportation Benefit District, which would give the Council additional revenue-generating powers.
Council member Ryan Walters urged that all the money from from the real estate tax and the sulphur shipments to the Port be allocated to city streets. He urged quick approval of a detailed plan and package.
Council member Erica Pickett said maintaining city streets saves so much money in the long run. “Few will object to the $20 car tab. We live in an era of people paying $3.00 for a cup of coffee,”
she added.
Council member Matt Miller said he wasn’t comfortable with the $40-million number, calling it “a significant amount of money. He said he’d like to put some money toward street maintenance, then “see where are are in a couple of years.”