Letter to the Editor

Tax would provide much needed raises

Friday, October 9, 2015
To the Editor,

I would like to exercise my first amendment rights which are the freedom of speech concerning the 1 cent tax for the Blytheville Community. I feel as though we need to vote for this tax for the following reasons.

First the Public Works workers have not had a raise in 7 years, the men on the back of the garbage truck makes under $8 an hour and are overdue for a raise. The CDL drivers are under $13 an hour which is the lowest paid City Workers in this area. Voting for the 1 cent tax would enable a pay increase for Public Works. Secondly, the 1 cent tax will help provide a better living for our Public Works workers, because no one sees the abuse and the hard work that they endure while trying to serve our community.

Blytheville is a divided community and what I mean by this is we say that we want a better Blytheville but we find ways to divide the City with negative things about our City and our City Leaders. We don't all think a like nor are we going to act a like but we should have the best interest of our City at hand. I don't agree with every way our City Leaders do things but they have proven to be right this far. The City of Blytheville was in over 2 million dollars debt with the IRS and our City Leaders came up with a plan to use the 1 cent tax to generate money to pay this debt off. The citizens of Blytheville made it possible by voting for the 1 cent tax but it was our City Leaders plan. Now we need our citizens to vote for this tax again to help better our community.

This 1 cent tax will generate funds for our Police Department as well it would enable the Department to hire help and give them more man power to patrol our community. When a job is paying the proper wages for cost of living you will have other people who will want to compete and apply for those positions but by me telling you what the men at Public Works are being paid who will apply for those positions??????

This 1 cent tax increase will help the City rebuild streets, clean neighbor hoods that are filled with bad structures, etc., etc. Once again we are not all going to agree on how to make a better Blytheville but we all want a better Blytheville. I pray that the citizens of this community vote and support the 1 cent tax. The people who are against this new tax are the ones who have a 60, 70, and 80 thousand dollar a year income and they are not concerned about us who have a 14, 16, and 17 thousand dollar a year income. It's very hard for us to provide for our families on that type of low yearly income.

I have heard some of the business owners on down town main indicate they are gong to leave or close if this 1 cent tax is approved but that's not fair to the community if they do but on the other hand we have new stores coming to town and they will not be down town. Maybe the new stores will prevent our citizens from traveling to Memphis and Jonesboro to shop.

We need this 1 cent tax to make a better Blytheville so please go to the polls and vote.

-- Steven "Trig" Walker

Blytheville