Van Buren sales tax plan moves forward

The Van Buren City Council moved closer to funding a one-cent tax hike for a wide range of city improvements Monday night (March 19) at the regularly scheduled meeting. By a unanimous vote, the City Council members chose Stephens, Inc., as the underwriter for the sales tax increase that would build new police and fire stations as well as a “senior inn.”

The tax, which would require voter approval, would also fund park improvements.

The one-cent tax would fund approximately $10 million in new bonds. The new police station is expected to cost $3.5 million, while the fire station will run $2.5 million, Van Buren Mayor Bob Freeman estimates. The bonds would also contribute $2.5 million for the senior inn, and $1.5 million in park improvements.

About half of the tax increase will remain on the books indefinitely, Freeman said, while the other half could expire once bonds for the new facilities are paid.

“In the next six years, we may say, ‘This is not hurting us. Why don’t we take that (half) cent (that’s going to sunset) and dedicate it to the next phase. Use it to repair a fire station or tackle drainage improvements?’” Freeman said.

HISTORICAL REQUEST
Also Monday night, City Council members heard from the Lawmakers and Peacemakers historical reenactment group. Represented by President Mike Griffith, the group requested the city’s help in a “one weekend per month” gunfight reenactment program, Griffith said.

Citing the 2011 tourism numbers from Tombstone, Ariz. ($7.5 million), Dodge City, Kan.. ($5.6 million), and Deadwood, S.D. ($11.6 million), Griffith said he would “like to see Van Buren get a chunk of that money.”

Mayor Freeman was hesitant to approve gunfight reenactments, stating that he “had some personal concerns in light of things that have happened in our downtown area at the courthouse,” referring to the Sept. 2011 shooting perpetrated by assailant James Ray Palmer.

“I was not just going to approve it,” Freeman told City Council members. “What I asked (group representative Joe) Miller to do was to come back to me with a letter of request, telling me what they wanted to do, when they wanted to do it, and how they wanted to do it. Then, we would take it to the A&P (Advertising and Promotion Commission) and go from there.”

Freeman continued: “What Mr. Miller did was post on Facebook that the telling of history and reenactments are at risk because the powers-that-be are trying to undermine the historical significance of the area. That was nothing close to the conversation we had.”

Miller was in attendance and admitted that Freeman was correct. It is not known why the Facebook post was made, but the group has agreed to submit the letter of request to Freeman.