JUST THE FACTS, PLEASE

Governor Asa Hutchinson was in Rogers this week talking about the need for adequate funding to pay for roads and bridges in Arkansas. He made his comments standing at The AMP, a music venue that only works because of the easy access off Interstate 49. In any Arkansas community you will find businesses like this that depend on roads that give customers easy access to the business.

The old Dragnet TV show had a police detective character who always used the line, “Just the facts please.” With that in mind, let’s put all opinions aside, and revisit a couple of facts.

Issue 1 is not a new tax. It is an extension of an existing tax.

If Issue 1 doesn’t pass the average city, town, or county will lose 30% of their existing road budget. This has nothing to do with new revenue for a mayor or county judge to access, it’s strictly about continuing to allow local leaders input on how road repairs should be managed to make your life a little easier.

In Benton County, the county and the cities within the county, would lose $5.8 million dollars. Rogers alone would lose $1.3 million dollars. This loss of revenue would take place in a county already struggling to try to have the infrastructure keep up with the ongoing population growth.

In Washington County, the county and cities within the county would lose $5.6 million dollars in existing revenue for roads. Fayetteville alone would lose $1.7 million.

So the total loss to the region would be $11.4 million dollars that is currently being spent to make your driving safer and more efficient.

As the old TV show character would say, “These are just the facts.” No spin, no opinion. Something to think about the next time you are sitting in traffic, or replacing the tires on a vehicle long before you should have had to replace them.

Stay safe.