Councilman: Why Rec Center plan is ‘imprudent’
To the citizens of North Platte,
The law that requires the City Council vote for items to be put on the ballot must be a supermajority to keep an imprudent plan off the ballot. Elections are expensive.
As a councilman my job is to consider all factors and vet the project. After doing this and weighing all factors, this (the Rec Center project) was not a good plan for the citizens of North Platte for the following reasons:
The estimated first year half-cent sales tax number, minus 25% the estimate paid by tourists, equals $2,450,000, divided by 23,750 people (estimated population) comes out to $103.16 per person (adults and children).
At present 14% of the population uses the Rec Center. I will be generous and say that 30% will use the new one. This means that 70% will pay for the privilege to not use it.
People are also reading…
Was a sale to a private individual or organization to be run as a nonprofit enterprise ever considered?
Sustainable Beef has not moved one yard of dirt yet. I am nervous about its future.
The Rec Center would bring in new sales tax through sport tournaments. Will they ever be enough to cover the operating expenses of this proposed Rec Center? They don’t now!
A city-owned facility will have a negative impact on private gyms, our existing water park and other facilities that operate sports tournaments.
Interest rate hikes are predicted to be a monthly occurrence. With rising interest, costs will skyrocket.
This tax will be on every natural gas, electric, water, sewer, trash and phone bill you get. Our seniors and folks on limited incomes cannot afford this.
I do not think the council nor the citizens were given adequate information on this issue, in part due to the lack of transparency in media coverage. I could not in good conscience vote to place this on the ballot.
Mark Woods, North Platte
4th Ward City Councilman