Vote ‘Yes’ for streets

It has been a year since I wrote my first Councilman’s Comments for the newspaper. At that time the city’s finances were a major concern for the mayor and councilmen.  We had experienced significantly rising prices in the wholesale cost of electric power, so we made the decision to increase the price of electricity for our residents and businesses.  While that decision was a difficult one, it was a decision that has paid dividends to us over the past several months. 
This electric rate increase along with a small increase in the price of processed water has helped us turn the corner to getting the city back on a positive financial footing.  Also during this year, we have been able to settle both the Rhoades Engineering and the natural gas system lawsuits against the city.  While this has required a cash outlay, the city is not involved in any other litigation at this time.  This in itself will help the city recover financially.  
While the utility departments are profitable again, we have another problem that affects the city’s general fund.  The general fund supports city hall, the police department, the street department, the swimming pool, and the city cemeteries.  With the swimming pool expenses running almost $14,000 more than revenues, and with cemetery expenses running about $5,000 more than revenues, we do not have the additional funds necessary to maintain an adequate street program year after year. 
In 2007 we were only able to spend approximately $40,000 to improve 26 blocks of city streets.  The mayor and council would like to see a street program that would allocate at least $70,000 each year to improve 45 to 50 blocks.  Another project that needs to be completed is the resurfacing of the south, west, and north sides of the city square.  This project alone would cost $75,000.  Nothing improves the looks or marketability of our city like a good street program. 
One way to provide the funding needed to undertake an annual street program is to let everyone who utilizes Gallatin streets for shopping or other purposes to help keep the streets in a decent state of repair.  An addition to the sales tax charged by Gallatin merchants expands the base of income into the general fund and is a much more desirable funding mechanism than an increase in property taxes. To accomplish this, the council voted to place a 1/2-cent sales tax proposal for transportation purposes on the Nov. 6 ballot.  This sales tax proposal could generate an additional $70,000 to $80,000 for the city’s general fund to be used for street improvements.  The 1/2-cent sales tax would only last for 10 years, then the issue would have to be brought back to the voting public to be continued. 
I would hope that every citizen of Gallatin would go to the polls on Nov. 6 and support this new revenue proposal.  The money generated could only be used for transportation purposes and would keep Gallatin moving forward financially. 
Please , vote “Yes” on the 1/2-cent sales tax proposal on Nov. 6.