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Newark to use civic-center savings and Measure LL revenue to fund two new fire stations and public art
Summary
Mayor Michael K. Hannon says savings from the under-budget civic center plus new hotel tax revenue will fund replacement of two aging fire stations and support a public-art program and solar projects.
Mayor Michael K. Hannon, Newark's mayor, said Tuesday that savings from the recently completed Newark Civic Center and revenue from Measure LL will be used to replace two aging fire stations and support other capital projects. "Because the Newark Civic Center was brought in under budget and because of favorable bond interest rates, we have some significant savings," Hannon said during the 2025 State of the City address.
The spending plan combines those savings with revenue from Measure LL, a hotel tax increase voters approved last November that raises the hotel tax from 10% to 14% and is projected to produce about $1,800,000 annually. Hannon said the funds will pay for replacement of the two older fire stations on Cherry Street and on Russian Drive and could also support a new cultural arts facility to replace the existing community center.
Hannon also highlighted ongoing and proposed capital investments tied to civic-center savings and developer fees. The city has earmarked $2,000,000 from development-linked public-art funds for a public-art program to be integrated into capital projects, including the Old Town Streetscape project. Hannon announced plans to bring nationally known artist Gordon Hunter to design a gateway feature for Old Town.
The city is moving forward with solar installations at the Civic Center and the George Stillman Community Activity Center. Hannon said the projects are designed and engineered and scheduled to break ground early next year; he said the installations are expected to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions and generate long-term savings, estimating "millions of dollars over the next 20 years." The timeline and procurement details were not specified.
Background: Measure GG, a local half-cent sales tax approved in 2016, funded construction of the civic center; Measure LL is the hotel tax measure passed in 2024. Hannon said the city maintained a double-A-plus credit rating and reported a $1,750,000 surplus for the prior fiscal year. He said officials project a surplus in the current fiscal year as well.
Looking ahead, Hannon said the city will solicit community input on future capital priorities and continue to review park impact fees later this year to determine which park amenities to fund.
