Thank you to all of you who were able to attend the Newcastle Town Hall Meeting on June 6th. A number of important topics were discussed, including the city’s property taxes, pavement decisions for our city streets, and ARPA funding for our small businesses and non-profit groups. Here is my perspective on each of these issues.
Property Taxes
I was asked about the rate increase of 2% to property tax that the city collects from residents.
This increase represents about $120,000 shared between all residents in Newcastle who pay property taxes. This revenue supports our city budget and is a very small percentage of your total property tax bill. I voted for what I believed to be a necessary increase and am currently seeking alternative ways to generate revenue that will not affect property taxes. I shared my proposal at a recent City Council study session which you can watch here:
Street Paving
The Hazelwood neighborhood received a street maintenance technique called a "slurry seal." While this is a common technique used on streets throughout the nation, I don't believe that our application was done well. Many residents were not happy about it and this was my response.
At our City Council meeting on June 20th, I followed up on the commitment I made during the Town Hall to take action on the slurry seal applied in the Newport Woods and Hazelwood neighborhoods. I introduced a motion for staff to present a plan to remediate the slurry seal with an asphalt overlay over the course of the next four years. The motion received unanimous support from the council and passed 7-0.
Pandemic Relief Funding
The “R” in ARPA stands for Rescue. I maintain that it is critical for the city to support our local businesses as they contribute to the economic health of our city through the sales tax they generate and they provide the essential services and amenities that make Newcastle a desirable community in which to live.
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