Tryon Councilman Austin Chapman explained a proposal in the towns draft strategic plan to hold a referendum for a township tax to help with downtown infrastructure.
The special tax was one question posed by several town and nearby residents who attended a town council meeting Tuesday to give input regarding the towns proposed strategic plan.
Chapman said the involuntary annexation movement was centered around the town needing more money for infrastructure and since the town has put those plans behind it, other ideas are being gathered as to how to bring in more revenue. Chapman said the idea of a special tax would be to hold a referendum asking township residents to pay a nominal tax as they do currently for Harmon Field and the Tryon Fire Department. The revenue would be used for expenses in the business district, such as events, streets and sidewalks.
“Im charged with putting together a proposal to do that,” Chapman said. “If it ever comes to pass, you (township residents) would have a chance to vote on it.”
Holding a referendum for such a tax would take state approval. The tax, if the referendum were to be approved by township residents, would work like the Harmon Field tax, which has a cap of how high the tax could go.
Chapman took a poll of residents in the audience asking if they would consider such a tax. A few people raised their hands and said they may consider it.
The involuntary annexation was done in an attempt to bring in more revenue for the town since growth has slowed to almost nothing. Citizens Against Forced Annexation (CAFA), a group of residents who fought both the towns attempts to voluntarily annex township properties, sued the town twice.
The first annexation was approved and then rescinded following a lawsuit. The second annexation was rescinded following a new board being elected last year and rising costs of the second lawsuit. Town officials said during the annexation process that nearby residents benefit from being close to town and should bear some of the expense.
There are no immediate plans to hold a referendum for the special tax, but the item is included in the towns strategic plan that will most likely be approved next month.
Other strategic plan suggestions came from business owners who said a snow removal plan should be included, since during snows this year parking spaces were blocked for days following the state scraping the roads. Business owners also asked for better communication with the town, especially during events. Tryon Theatre owner Barry Flood said he was unaware of the Nina Simone dedication, where the town blocked the road and his customers had to park blocks away to get to the Sunday matinee. He also said the dedication also cost him due to no other businesses being open and dedication spectators using his restroom facilities.
Burrells Fuel owner Harold Burrell also expressed the same concern with not knowing of events and with snow blocking his lot. He said Rogers Park spectators use his parking lot and at times his employees are blocked in due to the vehicles parked in his lot. Burrell also mentioned a need for a change in the towns sign ordinance. Town officials responded that the planning and zoning board has been charged at looking at changes and no enforcement of the sign ordinance is currently being done.
Town council members said they will make changes to the draft strategic plan, taking Tuesdays comments into consideration. The town will reconsider approving the plan during its May meeting.
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