Jonesboro applied for a $20 million federal grant to build the first 26 miles of a 46.2-mile “happy trails” in its perimeter. The city is required to add $4 million in matching funds, some of which can come from partners, like ASU. Approval of all or part of the money, all taxpayer funds, is due in November 2021.
Every resident of Jonesboro can consider just how little $24 million buys by watching the video of the July 6 Jonesboro City Council meeting, at 02:12, https://jonesboro.legistar.com/calendar.aspx.
Before hitting “play,” think of the last time you rode a bike anywhere, for any distance, then for longer distances. How many bike rides do you take a month? How often do you ease around bikers while driving in the city? How often is traffic slowed due to a biker or group of bikes pedaling along the roads? Then, double or triple that number to account for the argument that the roads are too dangerous for biking and walking, including on sidewalks.
Hit “pause” at the perimeter road drawing encircling the city, at 09:40. This first leg is along ASU, downtown and Joe Mack Campbell Park. What percentage of residents are going up and out there and how often? Consider how often you and yours will bike beyond the residential areas and convenience stores. Then consider the rest of the perimeter and a future of many more millions in tax dollars, spent further out into the farms and fields, ensuring even less usage by fewer residents. Only a small slice of residents will routinely use happy trails and never enough to justify ever-increasing upkeep expenses from here to eternity.
This is the worst example yet of Jonesboro’s low self-esteem, always 10 to 15 years behind, always lagging, and always compelling residents to fund its forever odyssey to be like northwest, central, and southeast Arkansas. The Waltons and the state funded NWA, central, even SEA, trail systems (search “Delta Heritage Trail”). Walton-level funding everywhere but NEA is their prerogative, but not so for dollars from the governor, and this is another example of preferential treatment everywhere but NEA.
In stark contrast, Jonesboro is committing limited resources to chase grants that require us to fund what so few demand. Armed with the governor’s and U.S. Sen. John Boozman’s endorsements, the city is spending what “Team Jonesboro” couldn’t envision and, most importantly, did not win at the ballot box. Voters did not give the city their endorsement then and haven’t for this.
Mayor, be transparent and host a town hall on all “quality of life” plans you are not putting before the voters, in Craighead Forest (the real recreational treasure in our county) and the coming stadium complex.
As someone who routinely professes a life-long love of this city, going around the voters here is at the expense of the people who make Jonesboro unique and, for residents who defeated the sales tax in 2019, it is the starkest example yet of tin-ear, untrustworthy, local government.
Jonesboro, stop this.
Howard L. Weinstock Jonesboro
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