B E A Utiful To Live in Arnold

On the agenda tomorrow, there is a resolution to establish the Cooley-Fulbright City Beautification Program. Let’s take a look at the program itself first and then try to justify the numbers. The program includes three “phases” with only one stating any costs, which don’t truly describe the total costs associated with the program.

On to the details.

Phase 1 consists of a 50/50 program where the City would fund 50% for subdivision entrance improvements. There are three “grants” associated with this program. The City would: 1) Allow up to $500 to plant trees, shrubs & flowers. 2) Allow up to $2,000 for the installation or repair an irrigation system or repair an existing monument. 3) Allow up to $3,000 for the installation of a new monument; fountain or decorative lighting.

Each of these are one-time grants, therefore, any subdivision can get up to $5,500 to beautify their entrance by applying for and receiving all three grants.

Disclaimer: The City reserves the right to reject any application.

Phase 2 takes the beautification process to the next level. During this “phase” the intention of the program is to: 1) Improve the appearance of Jeffco Blvd., Highway 141 and Telegraph Road by installing trees, other plantings, plant/flower pots and other such improvements; 2) Improve the appearance of arterial/collector roads by killing weeds between the roads and sidewalks/shoulders; 3) Purchase equipment to be used in the killing of said weeds from item 2, the maintenance of ditches and the watering of said streetscape from item 1.

But this isn’t the end of the beautification! Phase 3 of the program includes two pieces, which would include preparing a landscape plan for the I-55 corridor and provide for the purchase of equipment or the installation of an irrigation system for the landscape plan to be watered.

Now, let’s look at the numbers given. How many subdivisions are there in Arnold? We’ll take a very conservative guesstimate and say 20. It makes the math easier for me also :). If each subdivision was given the full amount of $5,500, that would be a total of $110,000.

According to the resolution, projects provided for in this resolution shall be funded by revenue collected pursuant to the City’s tourism sales tax. I’ve been to Tourism meetings and I’ve seen the tourism fund’s budget. The tourism fund doesn’t have anywhere near enough revenue to cover the cost of the 50/50 program even if all tourism sales tax revenue would go to the Beautification Program. The Tourism Committee already supports many popular events in Arnold such as the July 4th Celebration, Arnold Days and the Turkey Day Run. The truth of the matter is the tourism fund generally runs in a deficit, which as of the City’s 2013 budget shows a $26,000 deficit. As you can see, the numbers just don’t add up.

Are they supposed to take the brunt of supporting this new program?

What will happen to the July 4th Celebration, Arnold Days and the Turkey Day Run?

Is the tourism fund being used as a front to fund the Beautification Program, when the actual money needed will be taken from general revenue?

It’s not like this would be a stretch for the City. The City of Arnold uses the same tactic to fund Pomme Creek Golf Course and the Arnold Recreation Center.

Remember how much it would cost for just 20 subdivisions? $110,000.00 Think about it. The only numbers presented were what the City will contribute to the neighborhood improvements. There is no indication of a cap on the “grant” amount nor is there a budget indicated to complete Phase 2 and 3.

So I ask, where will the City get the money to fund this program?

Some will say it comes from sales tax revenues, but where does this money come from? The same place it always comes from, YOUR POCKET. It’s not like the government produces a product or provides a service to generate its own income. All the money used by government comes from the people, the taxpayers.

Still again, some will say most of Arnold’s sales tax is generated by people coming in from outside. And yet, there is no evidence of the split between how much of Arnold’s sales tax revenue is generated by Arnoldians and those coming in from the outside.

Even assuming most of our sales tax revenue is supplied by outsiders, a thinking person has to question how many programs can those revenues continue to support?

The City already subsidizes trash pick-up at over $1,000,000 a year. In the 2013 budget, it’s predicted Pomme Creek will run at about a 1.4 million dollar cumulative deficit. That’s one million four hundred thousand dollars you, the taxpayers, will pay to keep the golf course running. And that was before the flooding.

The Recreation Center situation has improved but continues to run in a deficit. Cumulative deficit shown in the 2013 budget is about $44,000. I understand Arnold passed a tax for this, but that revenue is not cutting it. The Rec Center should be no different than your home. You have a certain income and your outflow needs to match or be less. Who do you have to continually fund your overspending? You must live within your means. The Rec Center doesn’t have to because they have you folks to foot their excessiveness.

There are even smaller ventures that are actually costing the City more money. The Farmers’ Market has overall cost the taxpayers of Arnold more than the Rec Center. All indications from last year point to a $30,000 to $100,000 loss. There are no solid numbers to prove this however, due to the fact staff time dedicated to the Market was absorbed into the Parks budget. Looking at the math though, the Market will never break even. The revenues will never cover the expenses. There are many Farmers’ Markets organized and managed by individuals and civic groups outside the local government, who provide a thriving market without being a drain on tax dollars. Again, your money being wasted.

We have now been informed in order to comply with state and federal regulations, thereby avoiding large fines, the City has to improve/repair our sanitary sewer system in the amount of at least nine million dollars.

I wonder where that money’s coming from?

The economy of our country is not improving as quickly as predicted and the near future is not as bright as some of us would have hoped at this point. Large cities, like Detroit, are going bankrupt because the revenues aren’t there. People are out of work all over, including right here in our own town. Recent numbers indicate Jefferson County has an above average unemployment rate compared to all of Missouri. Arnold is small but we are not immune to reduced revenues and our size does not negate us from the same fate as the larger cities. It may take us longer, but if our out of control spending continues, we will begin to see drastic affects.

I look at Arnold’s spending and compare it to a kid in a candy store. The plethora of candy is overly enticing. Their eyes widen and they scan every inch of the bins, trying to decide what they want. They have fifty cents in their pocket. What will they choose to do with their money?

Most kids would figure out how to spend every last cent to get every piece of candy possible.

And yet, there would be those few kids, who would choose wisely, not spending all the money, but saving some for the new bike they wanted.

Even worse, the kid is given mom’s credit card with strict instructions to spend only fifty cents, but upon seeing all the tasty items laid out before him, spends a dollar.

But wait. It’s not really their money. Their mom gave it to them. They didn’t earn it. They are using the profits of someone else’s labor.

Beautification is an “amenity” on the wish list of most cities. It’s the candy. Now let’s look at the kid in the candy store analogy and redefine the terms. The government is the child and the taxpaying citizens are the parent. How would you, as the parent, want your child to spend your money? Fill his pockets with candy? Spend more than he was instructed? Or help buy the bike?

At this point, Arnold doesn’t have the luxury of buying out the candy store. Arnold has a bike to purchase, named a sanitary sewer system at the cost of nine million dollars. What the Arnold government and her citizens should be concentrating on is the necessities and how to prioritize them. The only way the government is going to know what you believe are the necessities and how they should be prioritized is by voicing your opinions. Let them know how you wish for them to use the fruits of your hard labor.

I know it’s difficult to make the time to come to council meetings. I know many promises have been made only to have them reneged. I know many of you feel you’ve been ignored or degraded. But I’m asking for your help once more, in numbers. Come to council meetings in force. Let your voice be heard by your representatives. Express your opinions. Government is a force to be controlled by the people. When the people allow that force too much leniency, it begins to control them. Be strong. Don’t allow your government to control you any longer. Show them who is in charge. Take back your town.