GOSHEN, Ark. — The City of Goshen hosted a public informational meeting Wednesday night over the proposed annexation initiative that would expand the city.
The plan would bring over 340 homes that are currently in unincorporated land into city limits and is "aiming to streamline services, improve infrastructure, and foster cohesive urban planning," according to the city's website.
"To look at how we do growth and development in the City of Goshen, one of the things that had been discussed previously was annexation," Mayor Russell Stroud said. "We felt like we could bring additional city services, that we could provide better services to that annexation area, and that we would be able to provide additional infrastructure improvements to that area, and it would generate some additional revenue for the City of Goshen."
Additionally, the city said that a new ward would be created, with two new seats added to the city council by residents in the annexed area.
Goshen said it hopes the annexation will attract new businesses and create economic growth and new job opportunities.
Lots of Goshen residents and people in the proposed annexation area came to the meeting on Oct. 23 and expressed concerns over this initiative.
"The passage of this measure ensures we experience tax increases in both property tax and sales tax forever for a town that we do not visit," said Kevin Farmer, who lives in the proposed annexation area. "All our lives are lived in Fayetteville and Springdale. We shop there. We go to the doctor. We have professional services. We have our careers and our lives. Our children go to school in these towns, not in Goshen, and it's just simply a money grab."
Farmer is worried about an increase in taxes and a hit to his property value.
"The passage of this measure results in the decrease in the value of our properties. Goshen offers really no services that we don't already receive. And in addition to that, they also don't offer schools," Farmer said. "Your property taxes go up and you receive an additional sales tax on everything ever delivered to your house."
Stroud said after hearing lots of feedback from people, he said he'll be ok with whatever the outcome is.
"If the annexation does not pass, I'm okay with that too. So if it does pass, you know, my goal is to provide the best infrastructure I can to the area that's involved, and to bring them into Goshen and try to make sure that they have a voice," Stroud said.
The measure is on the ballot this November for those who live in Goshen and those in the annexation area.
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