DECATUR — Curtis “Steve” Curry, Benton County Justice of the Peace for District 11, visited Decatur’s city council meeting on Monday to discuss a proposed 0.25 percent hike in sales tax to generate funds for Ozark Regional Transit.
The Ozark Regional Transit board is asking Benton and Washington Counties to hold a special election in Nove m b e r to approve the sales-tax increase toraise a total of $15 million. Curry said he has visited Gravette and Sulphur Springs to explore how people in his district feel about the proposed tax increase.
Currently, Ozark Regional Transit splits nearly $1.6 million in annual federal funding with Razorback Transit, which provides public transportation routes near the University of Arkansas. That federal money will dry up in 2013 because of the region’s increased population from the recent 2010 census, according to a transit study.
The proposed sales tax will provide about $7.5 million from WashingtonCounty and between $7 and $8 million from Benton County. The additional sales tax will add up to about $35 a year for every man, woman and child in Benton County, Curry told the council, which could add up to a significant burden as families face tough economic times.
The transit board is looking to raise a total of $50 million, he said. The proposed sales-tax increase would go beyond current operating costs to the transit system’s 10 fixed routes and give room for growth.
The plan is to expand, said Philip Pumphrey, executive director of Ozark Regional Transit.
The transit authorities closest routes come to Centerton and Siloam Springs, Curry said. There has been some talk about extending the routes into the west side of Benton County, but Curry said he does not think the area will provide enough demand to sustain the extended routes.
“If it’s not going to benefit the whole county, we shouldn’t have to pay for it,” Curry said.
Elderly and disabled people often call the city of Decatur and ask if police or firefighters can takethem to doctor’s appointments, according to city administrative assistant Kim Wilkins.
“The service is definitely needed ... I wouldn’t want to help them and still get no benefit,” she said.
The Washington County Quorum Court’s finance committee voted unanimously, on March 8, to approve a special election to decide the issue.
Curry said that unless he learns some new information that changes his opinion, he will not vote to put the tax increase to a special election next fall. A special election would cost the county extra money, he said.
Curry said that while he cannot speak for the other members of the Quorum Court, he generally gets the impression they are not in favor of the tax either.
Councilwoman Nan Mc-Clain asked Curry to update the Decatur council on any changes to the plan.
“I see no advantage in us giving them this extra money,” said Mayor Charles Linam.
To read more about Ozark Regional Transit’s plans for the future of public transportation in northwest Arkansas, visit its Web site at www. Ozark. org.
Tony Hernandez, of the Northwest Arkansas Times, contributed information for this report.
News, Pages 2 on 03/16/2011