Gravel Ridge residents give annexation a mixed review because of taxes, schools, the actual benefits
By Greg Rayburn \ Editor
Thursday, December 27, 2007 10:52 AM CST
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| Sherwood and Jacksonville are in a race to annex Gravel Ridge, an unincorporated community along Highway 107. (Photo by Greg Rayburn) |
Gravel Ridge residents surveyed by the Sherwood Voice last week gave mixed reviews to the idea of being annexed into either Sherwood or Jacksonville. They also have a lot of questions they plan on asking and hope officials from either city will answer them.
“If it isn’t broke, don’t fix it,” said P.J. Daigle, who owns North Pulaski Flower Shoppe in Gravel Ridge on Highway 107. “I think that is how a lot of us in Gravel Ridge feel.”
Besides owning a business in the unincorporated community, Daigle is a resident of Gravel Ridge. She remains undecided right now if she has to choose between being annexed into Sherwood or Jacksonville. But Daigle said if the community has a choice, she wants to remain unincorporated and be a part of neither city.
“How would we be benefited by being a part of either city than what we have now?” said Daigle. “We already have our own fire department in Gravel Ridge.”
Daigle said she plans on studying the tax structures of both Sherwood and Jacksonville to see which city would impose fewer taxes.
Susie Alexander, who owns Susie’s Place on Highway 107, has operated her business in Gravel Ridge for almost a dozen years and has lived in the area for two decades. She has a son who is graduating this year from North Pulaski High School, but her younger daughter won’t be graduating for several years.
“If we are annexed, is this going to affect where my daughter will be going to school?” asked Alexander.
Alexander said Gravel Ridge has been the subject of annexation attempts for years because the growing unincorporated community is seen by nearby cities as a way to collect additional tax revenue. She doesn’t like the idea of annexation, partly because it will mean more business fees and building regulations.
“If you want to do work on your building, if you are in the city, you will have to get a permit,” Alexander said. “Now, we just pick our own contractor and do the work the way we see fit.”
Tina Wethington of Gravel Ridge said she has concerns about taxation if the area becomes a part of either Sherwood or Jacksonville.
“How much more are we going to be paying in sales taxes?” Wethington asked.
She said deciding on either Jacksonville or Sherwood will depend on which city will make her pay less in taxes.
Darren Brown, who owns Arkansas Air Flow Inc. on Highway 107, said he grew up in Gravel Ridge but now lives in North Little Rock. Brown said he likes the idea of Gravel Ridge being annexed into a city, citing that cities will enforce codes that will clean up Gravel Ridge.
“In cities, you can only let your grass grow so high and if you can’t leave your vehicle parked in your front lawn too long,” Brown said. “I think Gravel Ridge being annexed into a city will clean up the town.”
Brown said he lived in Sherwood several years after getting married and believes Sherwood would be a better fit for Gravel Ridge than would Jacksonville, adding that most of Gravel Ridge is closer to Sherwood.
Joe Williams of Gravel Ridge said he has a lot of questions he wishes politicians from both Jacksonville and Sherwood would start answering.
“What frustrates us in Gravel Ridge is that a lot of times we are the last to know anything,” he said. “We have a lot of important decisions to make and we haven’t gotten anything in the mail about this.”
Williams has lived in Gravel Ridge 30 years and wants to know how being annexed with impact the taxes he pays.
Last month, the Jacksonville City Council set a special election for Feb. 5, 2008, to seek annexation of Gravel Ridge. On Dec. 17, Sherwood City Council set a special election for annexation for March 11, 2008. In each election, the residents of that city and the residents of Gravel Ridge will be eligible to cast votes.
