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Agree. Tyler/Smith County governmental entities do have some strange ideas. They've frittered away hundreds of thousands of dollars over the years on "studies" regarding a convention center yet have nothing to show for the expense. They were even gifted prime land on which to build the center but, for reasons not explained, there has been no movement. They seem to constantly give tax abatements, not just to entice new businesses to locate here, but to existing established businesses. Why? It's no wonder the coffers are close to empty.
Well, sorta, the coffers are TOO low, because of and unrealistically LOW, ah me, I've sinned big time now, CITY tax rate, not sustainable. Lowest in the state of any city our size or larger by at least 50% to 100% not just a few pennies, lowest BY far of any city over 17,000 in Texas, hard for all the reasons, probably not understand, or no one pays attention too, which I've stated above. I'v sinned again.
ALL cities that I've EVER heard of, gives tax abatements, to companies, IN the city, and those wanted to expand, IN the city, and those considering coming TOO a city. If a city does NOT give at LEAST those incentives the city would have little to no growth, in MOST INSTANCES, and SOME current companies would consider leaving many, many other cities, some willing to give land, buildings, even PAY a set amount for each job created are waiting with bated breath for opportunity. Longview, as an example, is the nearest one to Tyler. Jacksonville too, has paid as much as 5,000 per job to gain and 300 employee call center over the last ten years. I don't know what Longview PAID, to land the 500 job Dollar General Distribution center being built.
This is like most of life, based all ON competition. Growing and landing jobs, yes, certainly a few cities "grow" without PAYING out front, land building etc. Tyler does NOT compete beyond step I, tax abatements, as years ago, explained to me by Tom Mullins of the Tyler Economic Development Center. Since 1995, as I've explained too many times on CD, Tyler has by CITY POLICY, which is the same as city LAW, has not offered, land, buildings, are payments, for jobs, just tax abatements.
Mainly, because of this, the Tyler area has not gained a major employer since 1998, the Target Distribution Center, which thanks largely, to Lindale's participation was the primary reason Target built on I-20.
But, yes, yes, Tyler has wasted thousands on "STUDIES". And yes, there needs to be further and a more "detailed" explanation as to why the city won't/can't continue to pursue the South Broadway site, or at LEAST the West Loop site, but please, do NOT pursue the rose garden plan, for many reasons.
Again, nope !! 11 acres, when most cities annex square miles. You see, a particular developer wants to build on this land, utilities are THERE already. Tyler did lay water lines, maybe sewer lines? up Highway 69 from loop 323 near I-20 in hopes OF developers building somewhere OTHER than South Tyler, NORTHWEST TYLER.
And the Tyler paper has the newer employee, Ms Erin, whose job is in particular to report on pretty much anything Tyler is doing, which we appreciate. But this is certainly hardly news worthy, but for Tyler yes, two developers requested annexations in the last year, wow.
Now the REAL wow, was 20 something years ago when Tyler annexed, against the residents involved ok, the area that was called The Shackelford Creek area. Best I remember or could find about 2,000 people, and 4 square miles, this area Southeast, east of Broadway and along Cumberland Road included the Cumberland Ridge development, among others.
There was much vacant land, and it seemed a likely place for further development, nope, not quite sure, why this land has not been built "up" The land goes all the way on Cumberland Road to where it dead ends, and on either side, North and South sides of Cumberland Road.
I waiting for some REAL news, very, very small activity now, maybe the Cheese developer will tell "us" what he plans to do, if ANYTHING, in the early July planning and zoning meeting. Maybe nothing will happen then either, lol.
Longview had huge plans to annex thousands of acres some 4 - 5 years ago, by 2020. I've heard nothing about this, it would have about 10 sq miles? They may not have the money to do it. If I can remember I'm going to call Longview's planning and zoning tomorrow, to ask if this has been done, or if it likely to be done before the all important April 1, 2020 census.
Longview has lost about 400 people in the last two years, July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2017, according to the census estimates, if anyone cares, look it up. So I'm certain they want to show more than a couple of thousand growth in the last ten years. Yes, metro Longview has done very slightly better.
Again, nope !! 11 acres, when most cities annex square miles. You see, a particular developer wants to build on this land, utilities are THERE already. Tyler did lay water lines, maybe sewer lines? up Highway 69 from loop 323 near I-20 in hopes OF developers building somewhere OTHER than South Tyler, NORTHWEST TYLER.
And the Tyler paper has the newer employee, Ms Erin, whose job is in particular to report on pretty much anything Tyler is doing, which we appreciate. But this is certainly hardly news worthy, but for Tyler yes, two developers requested annexations in the last year, wow.
Now the REAL wow, was 20 something years ago when Tyler annexed, against the residents involved ok, the area that was called The Shackelford Creek area. Best I remember or could find about 2,000 people, and 4 square miles, this area Southeast, east of Broadway and along Cumberland Road included the Cumberland Ridge development, among others.
There was much vacant land, and it seemed a likely place for further development, nope, not quite sure, why this land has not been built "up" The land goes all the way on Cumberland Road to where it dead ends, and on either side, North and South sides of Cumberland Road.
I waiting for some REAL news, very, very small activity now, maybe the Cheese developer will tell "us" what he plans to do, if ANYTHING, in the early July planning and zoning meeting. Maybe nothing will happen then either, lol.
Longview had huge plans to annex thousands of acres some 4 - 5 years ago, by 2020. I've heard nothing about this, it would have about 10 sq miles? They may not have the money to do it. If I can remember I'm going to call Longview's planning and zoning tomorrow, to ask if this has been done, or if it likely to be done before the all important April 1, 2020 census.
Longview has lost about 400 people in the last two years, July 1, 2015 to July 1, 2017, according to the census estimates, if anyone cares, look it up. So I'm certain they want to show more than a couple of thousand growth in the last ten years. Yes, metro Longview has done very slightly better.
Every thing won't be wow type of news. You gotta take the small with the big.
I moved here from San Diego a few years ago, and we specifically chose this area because we liked the smaller town that was big enough to have everything. We've got a large influx of people coming in from bigger cities, and too often, they want their big city conveniences to come with them. When I look at the discussions here, and the news articles, I wonder if the two viewpoints are compatible. I LIKE the low property taxes and the limited government approach. I think more could actually be done in the at direction if I'm honest. But that would mean that the city actually does less in people's lives (which gets my vote). However, there are others in the room that feel the city doesn't do enough, doesn't grow enough, and/or doesn't provide enough services. In order to accommodate that group, the city would have to collect more taxes and become a larger presence. Can both groups get what they want at the same time? I don't believe so.
If my perception is true, then Tyler is at a crossroads, and needs to decide to hold on to the small town feel, or go for the boom and ride the wave. Either way, someone is not going to be happy, and many might leave. But many more will likely come in to take their place, and the culture will change along with it. That's my observation...
I moved here from San Diego a few years ago, and we specifically chose this area because we liked the smaller town that was big enough to have everything. We've got a large influx of people coming in from bigger cities, and too often, they want their big city conveniences to come with them. When I look at the discussions here, and the news articles, I wonder if the two viewpoints are compatible. I LIKE the low property taxes and the limited government approach. I think more could actually be done in the at direction if I'm honest. But that would mean that the city actually does less in people's lives (which gets my vote). However, there are others in the room that feel the city doesn't do enough, doesn't grow enough, and/or doesn't provide enough services. In order to accommodate that group, the city would have to collect more taxes and become a larger presence. Can both groups get what they want at the same time? I don't believe so.
If my perception is true, then Tyler is at a crossroads, and needs to decide to hold on to the small town feel, or go for the boom and ride the wave. Either way, someone is not going to be happy, and many might leave. But many more will likely come in to take their place, and the culture will change along with it. That's my observation...
I think I might have been placed in the "boom" growth group. No, IMHO, Tyler reduced their city property tax rate too low to SUSTAIN that rate and adequately provide services, without occasionally annexing too sustain that rate. I know, I know, raising taxes is NEVER popular, even when your rates is one of the lowest or lowest.
1)Tyler's tax rate is the lowest of any city over 17,000 in Texas, BUT being "ONE" of the very lowest should work well, I'm all for that, maybe 15-20 cent's, higher than now, .40-.45 rate, the city hopes that they can provide services for 12-20 years from now when they can slowly raise the taxes to that point. Which WOULD still be one of the very lowest. bottom 33% in property tax rates.
2)Tyler has cut deeply everywhere possible for the last 5 years, salaries, employee positions, employee insurances, by bigger percentage employee paid, and most recently the first area to "safely" cut DEEP into employee positions, that is, the parks department. City did not cut into fire or police employee positions, because of course, city residents might strongly object, as they should.
3)I'm just saying the city should NOT give part of it's future to the nearby cities I've mentioned, how does the mayor and council KNOW that in some future date the city might need or want the land.
4)Current example of "3" above, is city council in the 1960's or maybe the 1950's annexed a Highway 69 close enough to I-20 to make certain, no city EVER had the first opportunity to have that entire intersection within IT's city limits, same way, for Highway 271 going north from Tyler where it intersects at I-20. BUT IF YOU LOOK NOW AT I-20 AND 69 YOU WILL NOTICE LINDALE HAS THE NORTH SIDE OF THE INTERSECTION WITHIN THEIR CITY LIMITS. The current city council and GAVE this valuable tax revenue to Lindale, why? Stated reason by mayor, Tyler wanted to be a "good neighbor" what, are we BOY SCOUTS?
5)Please do not worry about Tyler becoming like the West Coast, no way, yes DFW IS becoming more like the West Coast.
6)Tyler has for me, all what I NEED, because of purposely poor planning for the future, cause the property taxes to slowly "go up" with NO additional benefit to the residents, which is now occurring.
I don't know if this was ever printed in the permit section of the Tyler paper. The city of Tyler is building a new Tyler City Employee Credit Union on Hwy 155 South right inside the loop. I don't know if the city of Tyler is actually building it, but it is for the city of Tyler employees.
I think I might have been placed in the "boom" growth group. No, IMHO, Tyler reduced their city property tax rate too low to SUSTAIN that rate and adequately provide services, without occasionally annexing too sustain that rate. I know, I know, raising taxes is NEVER popular, even when your rates is one of the lowest or lowest.
Mark, I didn't mean to imply or insinuate anything one way or the other about you, or anyone else for that matter. I hope you didn't take it as such!
I've spent a lot of time all over this country, I've been in small towns and big ones, but the majority of my life was spent in big cities. I'm glad to not be there in that anymore. That said, Tyler isn't perfect by any means, but it is the area that we chose, so for me and my family, that tells you what our preferences are.
I do recognize the real dilemma when you have this much wide open space, and every town wants to get a little further ahead. The example of Hwy 69 and I-20 is a perfect demonstration of this in real life. Right, wrong, or indifferent, it happened the way that it happened. Some will agree and think how it happened was the right way to go, others will disagree and say that Tyler should have done differently. Such is the case with almost everything in life I suppose...
While it might be real easy to debate the merits or pitfalls of this decision or that, it is also real easy for some of us to forget that of all the available choices, this was the best one. I am fortunate enough to have plenty of time to contemplate that, and do so regularly. I am thankful to call this home.
By the way, I'm good whichever way that Tyler goes, growth or no, as long as they do it responsibly. Wasting taxpayer dollars on pet projects doesn't get my okay. But being resistant to change simply because it's change is not a good reason either. And I'm happy to see the expansion at Times Square Cinema. I think that will be a real bonus for a lot of folks.
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