[Press Release] : press release

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

Contact: Raymond A. Beck, City Manager - (573) 874-6338

COLUMBIA, MO (November 4, 2005) -- Recently, information is being
distributed in our city to our voters that does not clearly indicate who
is paying for street construction in our city. The City's records show
that from 1999 through 2004, about 54 miles of streets were newly
constructed or reconstructed. About 46.5 miles (86%) have been
constructed by developers and 7.5 miles (14%) were contracted by the
City, a part of which costs were tax billed against abutting property
owners. In addition, developers have paid for the total cost of arterial
streets to include a 4-lane Brown School Road from Derby Ridge to US 63,
a portion of the cost of North Providence Road, Grace Lane, Vandiver
Drive and Chapel Hill Road. Other thoroughfares the City classifies as
collector streets constructed by developers include sections of Blue
Ridge, Derby Ridge, Smiley Lane and Louisville Drive. 

These costs to developers are typically passed on to new homeowners,
businesses, etc. that purchase those lots and tracts of ground. 

It is difficult to determine how the pie chart being circulated by
TARRIF shows only 3% of street costs being paid for by the development
community.

Surveys of our residents indicate roadway/sidewalk construction and
traffic congestion as being one of the highest priorities for our city
to address.

After public work sessions, meetings, hearings and surveys of our
residents, our City Council is presenting our voters with what is felt
to be a fair way to finance the community's cost for these thoroughfares
and urban highways.

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