A proposal to redirect some of the Pulaski County Community Development Commission’s funding to the county’s towns drew several concerns during a special CDC meeting Tuesday.
County Council Member Mike Tiede has suggested giving each of the county’s towns $25 per resident for economic development. CDC Executive Director Nathan Origer noted that the towns already get a share of the county’s economic development income tax based on their population.
“So if you want to look at it this way, it would essentially be taking money distributed to the county based on the rural population and giving it to the towns, instead of doing it for things for the whole good of the county,” Origer added.
Beyond that, Origer didn’t think it would be enough funding to have much of an impact for each town, noting that the towns stand to get a lot more money under the tax restructuring plan that Tiede has, so far, opposed. Commissioner and CDC member Kenny Becker was concerned about how the plan would be overseen, noting that the Auditor’s Office wouldn’t be able to handle the extra work.
But CDC Project Coordinator Krysten Hinkle wondered if there wasn’t a bigger motive behind Tiede’s proposal. “I wouldn’t remove it from the possibility that he’s going to spring a surprise motion on October 14 to eliminate the CDC,” Hinkle said. “I can see that happening. That’s not my imagination. That’s where he was going with it.”
Becker stressed that Tiede didn’t say anything to the commissioners about doing away with the CDC. The council has already proposed removing funding for Hinkle’s position out of next year’s budget. The budget will be up for council members’ approval on Monday.
