Impact fees better than more taxation

Tontitown and its elected officials seem to really understand the impact growth has on local residents. While new impact fees may impact the affordability of new construction, the alternative is to make the area less affordable for those already living here. Shouldn’t growth pay for growth? It clearly doesn’t in Northwest Arkansas.

Voters have been asked to pay higher taxes for jails. They live with traffic congestion because there isn’t money to expand roads. They pay higher utility bills to accommodate demand cause by growth.

Tontitown City Planner Mark Latham seems to really “get it.” In explaining the need on a KFSM broadcast (April 17) he said “In my professional opinion, we should be growing at about 3% to 5% a year; that’s managed growth. But when you look at 25% to 30%, you can’t manage. You can’t build enough infrastructure to be able to support that growth.” He also asked whether those costs should be borne by people who have lived in a community for a long time or someone who just moved in.

I compliment Mr. Latham since he seems to be one of the few local government officials who really understand the effect of growth and who should pay for it. We need more impact fees, not fewer. Northwest Arkansas’ explosive growth has been fueled in large part by businesses that profit from it. Builders, developers, outdoor recreation and hospitality businesses, to name a few. For many residents the only impact of growth has been the loss of the towns they fell in love with, more traffic and more places to wash their car.

Opponents say impact fees will raise housing prices. However, raising costs for everyone through higher taxes and utility bills also makes housing less affordable. Developers say they will have to pass the costs on to buyers, as if the costs didn’t exist before. The costs of infrastructure driven by growth have always been there. Infrastructure adds to the value of new developments. How many homes will they sell if roads are never built, jails never expanded, parks and libraries aren’t improved and water and sewer can’t keep up? At this time, developers pass those costs on to every taxpayer.

To put it another way: breakfast at a diner would be more affordable if the taxpayers picked up the tab for the bacon and eggs.

Let your local government officials know that you support this alternative to high costs for current residents. It is the only way to head off the steady drumbeat of calls for higher taxes. The Northwest Arkansas economy has been over stimulated and over advertised by developers and local billionaires who will reap the benefits. That over-heated growth shouldn’t be paid by people who won’t see any direct benefits.

DAVE BRISTOW Bentonville