Archives > Mesquite News > News
Print
E-mail
Comment
Rate
RSS
Share
‘Project Renewal’ passed by council
By BRIAN PORTER/Managing Editor
The first step in Mesquite defining its future and beginning revitalization efforts was taken Tuesday as the city council unanimously approved the 2007-08 fiscal year city budget.
The $103 million budget begins a shift in philosophy for the city under a plan titled “Project Renewal.” A 2-cent tax rate increase in the budget is aimed at revitalization.
“This budget is unlike any budget we have had in many years,” said Mayor Pro-Tem David Paschall. “For years, this community has been defined by others.”
The approved fiscal year 2007-08 budget from city manager Ted Barron is aimed at aggressively seeking new development and beginning practices which would balance the tax burden in the future.
“I think the new budget will make some immediate, noticeable changes,” said Ted Barron, city manager. “We’re trying to set ourselves up for new projects coming to town and revitalization.”
Barron and other city staff have indicated several projects related to Project Renewal will be unveiled within the year which the approach of the new budget will inspire.
The tax rate moves to $0.64 per $100 tax valuation to fund a budget which Barron indicates will improve quality of life in the city.
“It is sort of like driving a ship,” Paschall said. “The turns aren’t made quickly. For a long time (former Mayor) Mike Anderson has shifted the city in this direction.”
The shift in philosophy is a simple one. Mesquite will no longer wait for development to occur and to be approached by developers for projects. The city will actively seek out development and also fund renewal projects. The budget will address the appearance of the city, including funding to repair broken curbs, medians and what Barron terms aboveground infrastructure.
“It will be a long process, but it will allow us to head down the right path,” said Barron, who promises noticeable change throughout the community in the next five years. “Mesquite is a maturing city. We do have infrastructure which is 40, 50 and 60 years old.”
The city will add two sanitation employees, five police officers and two public service officers to put more officers on the street, in an effort intended to maintain Mesquite as a safe community, Barron says.
The budget also includes addition of fire personnel to address safety. It includes the upgrade of an intern position to an emergency management position and one public recruiter. It also includes a strict adherence to a city marketing strategy.
Sales tax began to flatten in 2003, according to Barron. The proposal to allow sell of beer and wine for off-site consumption is being touted by Save Our Stores as one means to increase sales tax. The other is that which Barron proposes. He wants to designate spending in the budget to help recruit new business and add to the sales tax roll.
Barron insists the change in philosophy will not result in anything left behind. Barron says there are no downgrades in this budget, but a complete refocusing effort into areas to renew Mesquite.
That means 1,106 full-time equivalent employees will all be focused on marketing Mesquite and helping to renew the community. Seventeen full-time positions have been added with this budget.
The $103 million budget is a 3.13 percent increase aimed at changing the financing of the city.
The city is supported by 60 percent property tax, opposed to 40 percent sales tax. Of the property tax, it is estimated that 60 percent is residential, putting the greatest burden on the residents to finance the city.
While there has been a sentiment that Mesquite has little place left to grow, Barron disagrees. He says there are areas which can be developed. For instance, the former location of Big Town Mall remains vacant. There is vacant land next to the Mesquite Championship Rodeo. There are many similar parcels of land around the city, not even including the recently annexed land in Kaufman County.
He finds that there is little reason business wouldn’t come to Mesquite. A survey indicated that half the people outside of Mesquite didn’t have an opinion of Mesquite.
There have been some recent projects which indicate what the city wants to happen. The new animal shelter, reconstruction of Fire Station No. 1 and the ongoing construction of the new police station are among those. There is also the construction which took place on Military Parkway at the entrance to old downtown.
“It all started in 2004 with Addressing Mesquite,” Barron said, in a previous interview with The Mesquite News. “It is an evolution. It wasn’t the focus of the budget until now.”
Contact Brian Porter at bporter@acnpapers.com or comment on this story at www.scntx.com.
The following are comments from the readers.
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
In no way do they represent the view of Starlocalnews.com
You must register with a valid email to post comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Only your Member ID will be posted with the comments.
Registered users sign in here:
Become a Registered User
- Return to: News «
- Home «
- Top of Page ^
