Community Connection - June 2, 2026 - Tina Cosby with Maggie

Community Connection – June 2, 2026 – Tin Cosby with Maggie Lewis – City County Council President and Andy Nielson – City County Council Assistant Majority Leader

Community Connection: A Conversation on Taxes, Roads, and More

Have you ever wondered what’s behind the city’s crumbling roads and the proposed solution to fix them? On the latest episode of Community Connection, host Tina Cosby delves into the world of local politics, discussing the proposed vehicle tax increase and its potential impact on residents.

The conversation starts with a lively discussion about the upcoming Community Love Fest, an annual event that brings people together to show the community’s spirit. However, the main topic of the episode is the proposed vehicle tax increase, which aims to raise $50 million annually to fund road repairs. Council President Maggie Lewis and Assistant Majority Leader Andy Nielsen join the show to discuss the proposal and its potential effects on residents.

“We’re not just talking about raising taxes, we’re talking about creating a long-term infrastructure funding strategy that ensures we consistently have dollars available to deal with the infrastructure issues we’re facing,” said Council President Lewis. “We’re not just trying to patch up the roads, we’re trying to fix them.”

The proposal has sparked controversy, with some residents expressing concerns about the potential increase in costs. “I think it’s a catch-22,” said a caller, Ricky. “We’re building hotels and the roads are just raggedy. Where is the money going?”

Council President Lewis and Assistant Majority Leader Nielsen acknowledged the concerns, but emphasized the importance of finding a solution to the city’s infrastructure issues. “We’re not just talking about raising taxes, we’re talking about creating a long-term infrastructure funding strategy that ensures we consistently have dollars available to deal with the infrastructure issues we’re facing,” said Council President Lewis.

The conversation also touched on the topic of the city’s lottery funds, which were initially intended to support road repairs but were later redirected to pay for teacher and firefighter pensions. “When the lottery was first introduced, it was supposed to help with our roads and highways,” said Council President Lewis. “But unfortunately, that money never developed, or was misunderstood from the beginning.”

The episode also covered other topics, including the city’s curfew proposal, which aims to tighten up the rules for young people, and the importance of community engagement. “We want to make sure that everyone has an opportunity to weigh in on the proposal,” said Council President Lewis. “We’re taking the meetings outside of the city-county building to ensure that everyone has a chance to participate.”

As the conversation came to a close, host Tina Cosby emphasized the importance of listening to the full episode to get a better understanding of the issues and the proposed solutions. “We’re not just talking about taxes and roads, we’re talking about the future of our community,” she said. “Tune in to hear the full conversation and get informed about the issues that matter to you.”

Don’t miss this thought-provoking episode of Community Connection, where the conversation is always lively and the topics are always relevant. Listen to the full episode to get a better understanding of the issues and the proposed solutions.