RE: Community Service Fee (CSF) Im glad to see dialogue on this issue.

While no one enjoys taxes or fees, the six dollars a month we pay for our police and fire departments is the biggest bargain going. Opponents of this fee, please consider how much you pay for other services. I have listed some examples at the end of this letter. Maumelle, by design, has an atypical tax base . That is to say, most communities derive a large amount of their revenue from their commercial/retail sales tax. Yes, Maumelle now has a 1 cent sales tax, but the revenue of that tax is low for a community of 17,000. Other planned communities that are residentially top-heavy (e.g., Bella Vista, Hot Springs Village) all have residential revenue mechanisms to makeup for the shortfall. We have the Community Service Fee which is $72 a year. Cutting out that fee would result in a $650,000 shortfall on the Police and Fire budgets. Yes, Maumelle could shift some money from other services, but I doubt wed be able to recoup the entire amount. In addition, some laws prohibit the city from using some revenues for certain purposes. And even if we could cut our way out of the $650,000 hole, what cuts would you suggest? Streets? Parks? Lets play what if on budget cuts: Streets, ahhh o.k.! Remember last Christmas when Public Works cleared the roads from the snow storm? Be prepared next time, you may have to clear the roads yourself if you need to get to work. Parks, gotcha. Next year well 86 the fireworks show. Also, be careful about walking too close to Lake Willastein as we might not be able to mow nearly as often due to reduced personnel and reduced maintenance to our mowers. What do you want in a city? I dont make those points to be sarcastic, but to say good services come at a cost. If elimination of a $72 a year fee (per household) is worth less services and fewer amenities, then maybe Maumelle isnt for you. For me its one months cell phone bill. Is it worth it, YES. Its worth knowing that if I fall off a ladder, the trained professionals in our Fire Department will likely be the first people to arrive to give me medical attention. Its worth knowing that my daughter is safer because we have a Police Department that puts family safety as its top priority. I did not live in Maumelle when we initiated the Sales Tax.. Im told there was a veiled promise to eliminate the CSF then. If you were told that, Im sorry. Instinct tells me some people likely over promised and some over expected. It is possible that the CSF will go away by attrition, but I will never support going after any portion of it without cash in hand to makeup for

the shortfall. To do otherwise is to play budgetary roulette with our Police & Fire Departments and they do not deserve that! And to anyone who questions the budgetary decisions of the City of Maumelle, I invite you to do some homework. Look at how many city web pages post their budgets. Some do, but many Maumelles size do not. Call City Hall and see how quick they are to help you with specific questions. Call or write your Alderman and see if they take the time to address your concerns. I respond to every e-mail I get, good or bad. Knowing my fellow Alderman, I would imagine they are equally as eager to communicate with you. Do not let the media, me, gossip, or a group e-mail claiming to represent you be the sole foundation of your knowledge about this City. However well packaged, they are a poor substitute for actually taking the time to go to a meeting and reach your own conclusions. Sincerely,

Preston Lewis Alderman Ward 3 Maumelle City Council This year I will be spending: $ 1,894 ....Pulaski County Special School District $ 97 ........ Maumelle Library which is a GREAT library! $ 72 .........Maumelle Police and Fire

Maumelles Sales Tax Gap

City of Maumelle (Pop. 17,163) 2012 City Sales Tax Revenue (1%) = 2.1 Million ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------City of Bryant (Pop. 16,688) 2012 City Sales Tax Revenue (3%) = 11.59 Million *** At 1% would = 3.8 Million City of Cabot (Pop. 23,776) 2012 City Sales Tax Revenue (2%) = 7.89 Million *** At 1% would = 3.945 Million City of Siloam Springs (Pop. 15,039) 2012 City Sales Tax Revenue (2%) = 5.94 Million *** At 1% would = 2.97 Million

City Sales Tax Revenues

*** Adjusted to reflect 1%for all communities***

$4,500,000 $4,000,000 $3,500,000 $3,000,000 $2,500,000 $2,000,000 $1,500,000 $1,000,000 $500,000 $0

Maum elle

Bryant

Cabot

SiloamSprings