Bella Vistans will be going to the voting booth Sept. 9 to cast their ballots on two millage proposals to fund pensions for the city's fire and police personnel.
One ballot is for 1 mill to fund fire pensions and the other ballot calls for .5 mill for police.
The Arkansas Local Police and Fire Retirement System is mandated under state law, and the city currently contributes to the pensions through its general fund. Police and fire employees contribute 8.5 percent of their salaries as well.
If approved, the millages can only be used for pensions and nothing else.
We believe it makes sense to approve both millage issues to free up the general fund to hire additional personnel for both departments.
With the impending construction of a fourth fire station in the Highlands gate area, the city will have to hire fire personnel to man the new facility. The cost of those personnel is estimated at $500,000, which is about what the 1 mill raises for the pension fund.
The new fire station is needed to shorten response time throughout the city and to provide more personnel so that neighboring fire departments won't have to be called on to assist Bella Vista with ambulance and fire calls.
By passing the millage for the Police Department, voters would free up funds to hire several positions on the staff, including an evidence officer, a narcotics officer, a warrants officer and additional patrol officers, according to Citizens to Help Improve Public Safety.
The cities around Bella Vista, including Centerton, Bentonville, Gentry, Rogers, Siloam Springs and Springdale, already fund their fire pensions with a special millage. Lowell, Rogers and Springdale have a police pension millage.
Taxpayers would see an approximately $30 a year increase on a home valued at $100,000. That sounds like a small price to pay for increased fire and police protection.
Vote "Yes" on Sept. 9 for the fire and police pension millages.
Editorial on 08/27/2014