THE YEAR AHEAD: Maplesville mayor looks to increase town’s revenue
Published 7:48 pm Friday, January 11, 2013
Municipal elections in August 2012 brought W.C. Hayes back to Maplesville’s mayoral position, and he is approaching this year with specific goals for the people he serves.
After a four-year hiatus, Hayes said his primary goal this year as mayor is to increase the town’s revenue by expanding both the sewer system and the town limits.
Hayes said he and council members will work to secure grant funding for a project to extend Maplesville’s sewer system to the intersection of U.S. Highway 82 and Alabama Highway 22.
“The more business we get on 82, the more money we (get) in this town,” Hayes said.
Hayes estimated the project would cost the town about $1 million and would most likely require funding both from grants and private citizens.
According to Hayes, another way to increase revenue is to expand its limits by annexing more areas of police jurisdiction to the town, which would increase tax revenue collected from businesses and landowners.
Hayes said the town receives the full amount of tax revenue from businesses in town and half the amount of tax revenue from those outside town limits but within Maplesville’s police jurisdiction.
“I want to annex all the businesses in our area,” Hayes said. “We’re going to help all the businesses we can any way we can. We want any expansions to create more jobs.”