0680
~~~ RESOLUTIONS
WHEREAS, Adequate municipal services such as police protection,
fire protection, pure water, sewage and solid waste disposal, health
and many other municipal services are vital to the protection of the
lived a^~d property of all Arkansas citizens with most municipal ser-
vices performed on a 24 hour day - 365 days a year basis; and
WHEREAS, Arkansas cities and towns have less per capita revenues
to render these vital municipal services than municipalities in any
other state; and
WHEREAS, Arkansas citizens and taxpayers are forced to pay
'' inequitable and unjust property taxes which inadequately support their
local governments because the property tax is a product of the 18th and
19th centuries and is inadequate for Arkansas cities and towns in the
20th century,
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLV/,ED BY THE CITY (01) COUNCIL OF
THE C ITY (4$~lTN ) OF ~~ ~ ~ 1 /'~ ~ I ~1'l ~~ / ,~ , ARKANSAS
Section 1. That the governing body of ~~T ~ ~'Oh r~/~lfArkansas
does endorse and support "The Local Government Property Tax Relief
and Gross Receipts Tax Exchange Act" sponsored by the Arkansas Municipal
League.
Section ~Z. Passage of this proposed Act will enable the city of
`,/~~~ r ~ ~~ /`°/~"/ ~ to increase the salary of its police and f iref fighters
~ and its other municipal employees by 5100.00 per month beginning
August 1, 1979 and another 5100.00 per month on August 1, 1980, and
to make many other improveaents in municipal services to the citizens
I' of our community.
Section 3. This proposed Act would reduce property taxes on
property within cities and towns by ten (10) mills and would reduce.
property taxes on rural property by five (5) mills; a much needed
tax relief for Arkansas property owners.
Section 4. This proposed Act would permit Arkansas municipal
governments to be financed by an elastic tax that is paid-as-you-buy,
will expand with inflation, will be paid by everyone (including
tourists and transients who are visiting or passing through our state!
and is much more fair and equitable than a property tax.
Section 5. The clerk (o~•T+eEe-r~) is hereby instructed to
transmit signed copies of this resolution to our State Senator, State
`~
~'~ Representative, to the local news media and to the Arkansas Municipal
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League . --'
Adopted at Council Meeting on ,~ ~ day o~~2~ ~~%'~.~
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f Signed
-~, ~~.~~~ ';~' ~g~ Mayor
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RESOLUTION NO. 680
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WHEREAS, the West Memphis Memphis Port Authority is in the process
of building a port for the City of West Memphis with the
assistance of a grant from the Economic Development Admin-
istration in the amount of $2,400,000, and a possible
grant from the Ozark Regional Commission, and,
WHEREAS, it is necessary for the City of West Memphis to establish
a fund of approximately $820,000 as matching funds; and,
WHEREAS, the West Memphis City Council met in Executive Session
on the 1st of March, 1979, and unanimously agreed to re-
quest our Arkansas Legislative Delegation to amend the
motel tax whereby bonds may be issued by the West Memphis
Port Authority and a portion of the motel tax be made
available to pay off the bonds,
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THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the West Memphis City
Council requests that the motel tax be amended in order
that a portion of the money is deemed necessary to pay
bonds issued by the City of West Memphis and the Port
Authority, to pay approximately x820,000 over a period
of years .
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J CE FERGUSON, MAYOR