FAIRFIELD — City officials are getting nervous that voters might reject an income tax reallocation measure on the Nov. 5 ballot that would pay for construction of a new or expanded justice center and community center.

To best inform the public about the tax shuffle, Fairfield has formed a committee to promote the measure. To help ease concerns about the move, City Council also will approve a resolution this month earmarking the money specifically for road operations and construction of the community and justice centers.

The facilities will cost about $9.6 million each.

The community center can be built without the reallocation; but to build both the community center and a new justice center, the city must shuffle 0.1 percentage point of the current tax — about $1.2 million a year — from the street improvement fund to the general fund.

There will be no additional cost to taxpayers, and voters approved similar measures in the 1970s and 1990s for sewer and road improvements.

“We owe the people a straight-up answer on how that money is going to be spent,” City Councilman Mark Scharringhausen said. “$800,000 will be earmarked for capital debt reduction that we will incur on both centers when we build them.”

The other $400,000 from the $1.2 million will go to street operations, such as purchasing salt and road repairs, city officials said.

The street improvement fund still will receive more than $2.4 million a year, which is more than adequate to complete all major planned projects, city officials said.

If the reallocation fails and the money isn't shifted, the city will have a $7 million surplus in the street improvement fund at the end of six years, Mr. Scharringhausen pointed out.

“It's good business,” he said of the tax shuffle. “It gives council the flexibility we need to use the money where we can to get the biggest bang for our buck.

“If we don't shift the money, we're simply going to let it grow in an amount of which we have no use,” he said. “If we reallocate it, we are using it on projects we need to do today.”

If passed, the tax reallocation would take effect Jan. 1, 2004.

E-mail jedwards@enquirer.com.

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