The City maintains a comprehensive list of streets that require repair. Currently, there are 144 miles of city streets that require a combination of remediation measures including patch and overlay, seal coating, mill and inlay, and concrete work. It is premature to state that a specific street will be included in projects funded by the bond proposition because road repairs are continuous and despite good faith efforts in estimating the cost of a street rehabilitation project, the total cost might be lower or higher than estimated and is usually determined as the project is underway and the existing surface is removed and the condition of the roadbed can be examined. The desire is to use bond funds to repair all of the worst streets and bring the road system up to a level where annual budget dollars can go mostly to normal maintenance, not major reconstruction. 

There is not much the City of Nacogdoches can do about North Street, South Street, Main Street, East Austin, Durst Street, University Drive, or Star Avenue or any other street that is a State Highway or State Farm to Market road. Highways and farm-to-market roads are the property and responsibility of the Texas Department of Transportation (TxDOT). The city is in regular communication with TxDOT regarding repairs required to these roads and streets but you are encouraged to share your concerns with State Representative Travis Clardy and State Senator Robert Nichols.

The bond propositions being voted on in November will be paid for by Ad valorem taxes, which are taxes based on the value of property or goods. Ad Valorem taxes are generally not used to directly fund utility projects for several reasons:

• Regressive Nature: Ad valorem taxes can be regressive, meaning they disproportionately affect lower-income individuals and households. Utility projects, such as water, electricity, and sewage systems, are considered essential services, and policymakers often prefer to fund them through mechanisms that distribute the cost more equitably.
• Unpredictable Revenue: The revenue generated from ad valorem taxes can be unpredictable because it depends on the fluctuating value of property or goods. This unpredictability can make it challenging to budget for and fund long-term infrastructure projects, which require stable and consistent sources of funding.
• Inefficiency: Ad valorem taxes may not efficiently target the users of utility services. Utility projects typically serve specific geographical areas or communities, and it is more straightforward to assess fees or taxes directly on the users of these services. This ensures that those who benefit from the utility projects bear the cost more directly.
• Instead, utility projects are typically funded through means other than property taxes including:
• Low Interest, Partial Forgiveness Loans: These come in the form of Texas Water Development Board (TWDB) Clean Water State Revolving Fund (CWSRF) and Drinking Water State Revolving Fund (DWSRF) which provided low-interest loans and grants to Texas municipalities for water and wastewater infrastructure projects. The TWDB manages these funds, and they are designed to support clean water and drinking water infrastructure improvements.
• State and Federal Grants: Utility projects can also receive funding from state and federal government grants or programs designed to support infrastructure development. These funds are typically allocated based on specific criteria and may require matching funds from local governments.
• User Fees: Utility projects often rely on user fees or charges. For example, water and sewer services are funded through water bills, and electricity is funded through electric bills. These fees are collected directly from the users, ensuring that those who benefit from the services pay for them.
• Bonds: Municipal bonds are a common financing mechanism for utility projects. Local governments can issue bonds to raise funds for infrastructure development. These bonds are typically repaid over time using revenues generated from utility fees and charges.
• The City of Nacogdoches already has initial plans for water and sewage infrastructure projects and will present these plans in detail to the Capital Needs Advisory Board soon. Your property taxes will not be affected by any water and sewage infrastructure projects.

That depends on your definition of wrong. Our current fire stations do not meet many National Fire Protection Association codes and standards including NFPA 1500: Fire Station Design and Construction, NFPA 1901: Vehicle Bay Safety, NFPA 1583: Health and Wellness; NFPA 1710 and NFPA 1720: Emergency Response Protocols, NFPA 730/731: Fire Station security, and NFPA 101 Emergency Lighting. Failure to adhere to NFPA codes and standards can potentially expose the City of Nacogdoches to legal liability. If a health or safety incident occurs, and it is found that non-compliance with relevant codes contributed to the incident, those responsible may be subject to lawsuits and legal action. This can result in financial penalties and compensation to victims. Many of the design and safety issues that exist in our existing fire stations were not known to be health and safety hazards when the stations were built 70 years ago. If the City of Nacogdoches plans to hire and retain future firefighters our stations need to be brought into the 21^st Century. The difference in cost between remodeling the existing stations and building new ones is negligible and the remodeled stations would still be deficient when compared to current standards.

Relocating the fire stations will not impact your insurance rating. The location of a fire station is one of several factors that insurance companies may use to determine your cost of insurance including, water pressure and hydrant location, fire department communications, firefighter training, crew availability, and overall response time.