The year is winding down and with the holiday break just a month off, the politicians and citizens in Daphne and Fairhope are thrashing through the convoluted process of developing and approving their 2006 operating budgets. While both communities are engaged in the same activity, reporting on this “Tale of Two Cities” presents two very different stories. To really appreciate what’s happening, a little background is necessary — but before all that, let’s take a quick break so I can tell you about the new guy at this column — me.
OK now, so as to save a thousand words (and I’ve only got about 850 to use every other week), take last issue’s Lagniappe and turn to page six. In asking you to do this, I am assuming you haven’t needed to re-line the litter box since then. Look at Carrie Finch’s picture. Now look at the one on this page. Completely different, right? Enough said, except to add that I will try like mad to meet Carrie’s challenge to be “a much more entertaining, witty writer.”
And now back to our Eastern Shore “Tale of Two Cities.”
Daphne, the first city (stay calm Fairhope), alphabetically, is seen by many as having given away any special character in pursuit of growth and commerce — Big Box stores (including the dreaded local home of the smiley-face), car dealerships, fast food and fast deals to spur commercial development. Commerce on Main Street in Old Town Daphne is a pale shadow of the commercial strip that follows U.S. 98 through the city. This may not be an altogether bad thing.
The recent city council meeting Nov. 21 was a happy affair. In recognition of the season, Mayor Fred Small announced the annual tree lighting at city hall on Dec. 1. Just a single tree, but this year they’ll have a really big one — the biggest ever at 35 feet. Maybe it’s a reflection of these good times.
As reported at the meeting, growth in lodging and sales taxes is part of this expansive mood. Daphne is awash in money — seemingly enough for nearly everything. The city leaders are planning major civic improvement projects and infrastructure upgrades — including funding the redevelopment of their less-than-appealing downtown.
However, after dashing through the agenda and passing a raft of new ordinances with little debate and virtually no opposing votes, Council President Greg Burnam hit a wall on the last item: “Adopting the Fiscal Year 2006 Budget/ Ordinance 2005-69.” He expressed surprise and wonderment that he could not get the votes to pass the budget without further debate. It will be on the agenda at the next council meeting in early December, so we’ll all have to wait ‘til then to see what all that new-found wealth will buy.
In contrast, the second city, Fairhope, has maintained its reputation as an arty, flower-bedecked, up-scale community. It’s home to the largest Single Tax Colony still in existence. Among Alabama cities, it is among a very few with no city sales tax. Lacking fiscal incentives for bringing in additional sources of tax revenue, “concerned citizens” have been successful fighting off further large scale commercialization, particularly that represented by the smiley-face/price cutting folks.
Also in contrast to Daphne, Fairhope is in a financial bind — if not a crisis. However, this hasn’t dampened the joy of the season. The city has had its annual “Lighting of the Trees,” and at night the streets are a wonderland of tiny white lights. There will be a Christmas parade with 60 units, bigger than ever, and the flower boxes and beds are brimming with poinsettias. But the Grinch is in the wings.
The city lost a court case involving authority to expand its electric utility service area and with that loss came a substantial reduction in revenue. Earlier in the year, Fairhope had to take out a yet-to-be repaid bridge loan to meet immediate obligations. Mayor Tim Kant and several members of the city council have been vocal in opposition to a city sales tax, advocating in its place additional licensing and business fees to increase revenue.
This was the hot topic at the city council meeting Nov. 28, but it wasn’t the sole entertainment. Councilmember Debbie Quinn did her Time magazine reporter imitation in advising the council that the information they received from Baldwin County concerning approval of a new subdivision adjacent to Fairhope was completely incorrect.
When asked by the council president how she came by this information she stated, “I can’t reveal my sources.” Do councilpersons have a shield law? I don’t know, but this sort of thing adds excitement to what could otherwise be a dull affair. Back on (fiscal) point, Councilmember Cecil Christenberry expressed concern over the harmful effects these higher fees will have on local businesses and spoke of having to take notice of the “elephant in the room” — the need to address enacting a city sales tax.
In a related revenue raising matter, Quinn invoked “Big Brother” in speaking in opposition to enforcing payment of security system fees by registering the system owners with the police department. Hey, Daphne has the dollars, but Fairhope has the flair. Fellow councilmember, Dan Stankoski, asked that the fee adjustments be voted upon at this meeting, as it was the last opportunity to act during the 2006 budget process and to address other sources of revenue at subsequent meetings.
The council adopted a compromise alternative, increasing fees by a smaller percentage than planned. The “Big Brother,” registration with the police, proposal lost. Although some progress was made in fixing Fairhope’s finances, the city is still left with big-time fiscal problems going into 2006. Maybe this is time to talk about that elephant.
And in closing my very first Lagniappe column: I hope I have been a somewhat “entertaining, witty writer” and that you will watch this spot for future installments of our “Tale of Two Cities.”
Contact Pete Gleszer at jubilee@lagniappemobile.com.
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