The Bryant City Council took no action toward making an Advertising and Promotion tax a reality Tuesday night, deciding to workshop the issue further.
Bryant Parks committee members Richard McKeown and Cody Crist presented the Bryant Parks Department’s proposal to the council members.
The request was for the city council to pass an ordinance which would put the matter of whether or not to have an A&P tax to a vote for city residents to decide.
The tax would be 2 percent on restaurants and 3 percent on hotels, with 80 percent of generated funds being designated to the Bryant Parks Department.
The council tabled an ordinance at its February meeting that would have created an A&P tax.
McKeown said the A&P tax could raise $1.4 million, of which the parks committee asks for 80 percent to go toward maintaining and improving the city’s parks. “All the city’s parks could be funded entirely through the A&P tax,” he said, noting that would allow the city’s annual $1.2 million parks budget to be returned to the city’s coffers.
The 3 percent tax on hotels would almost solely be funded by non-residents of Bryant, McKeown said.
“The lodging portion overwhelmingly falls on visitors, not residents,” he said. Likewise, some of the 2 percent tax on restaurants would be paid by out-of-town visitors, but it would also fall upon residents choosing to eat out at local restaurants.
“Our local parks are our social gathering sites, and if you’ve ever tried to find a parking spot at Bishop Park on a game night you know what I’m talking about,” McKeown said. “Through an A&P tax, visitors contribute toward maintaining and improving the city’s park facilities.
A&P funding is the model for park development and improvement, he said. “It is a tried, tested and proven model,” McKeown said. “If Bryant wants to enjoy top flight facilities, the A&P model is the best.”
Crist said the city is seeing a record number of children participating in parks programs, making it difficult for the city to keep pace.
More parking for the softball/baseball fields, lighting for Bishop Park and repairs to the aquatic center were some of the top priorities Crist mentioned which could be funded by the A&P tax.
During the February meeting, several council members shared concerns about implementing the tax without taking it to a citywide vote. Councilman Rob Roedel…
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