A funding mechanism for providing business parks and open green space would be in place by the start of 2007, if Lawrence city and Douglas County commissioners get their way.

Moreover, those officials, in conjunction with recommendations from advisory boards, hope to decide by mid-summer the details on how those funds would be handled and distributed.

The two governing bodies, however, still need to decide how to raise the funds. Under consideration are using the mill levy and property tax, sales tax or some alternative method such as a mortgage registration tax.

“We need to write the words to the song,” was the way County Commission Chairman Bob Johnson summed up the tasks ahead.

And decisions still need to be made to determine where finding industrial space and green space fits in with other costly projects that could be ahead, such as downtown Lawrence revitalization and city infrastructure improvements.

“We need to establish a priority list as to when these things come on line,” City Commissioner Mike Amyx said.

All of those issues were discussed Wednesday morning during a joint meeting of the two commissions and members of the Economic Development and ECO2 advisory boards.

Following earlier meetings, the economic development board members prepared a recommendation that called for the property tax option to be used to facilitate industrial development and open space preservation projects.

The board also suggested that alternative taxes be considered, but did not recommend a sales tax.

Economic development board members also suggested a funding commitment for a total of $20 million over 10 years to maintain the progress of both industrial and open space projects.

City and county commissioners have not made up their minds whether to use property taxes or sales taxes to raise the money they need.

Interim City Manager David Corliss and County Administrator Craig Weinaug will work to develop a “flow chart” describing what decisions need to be made by the governing bodies and when they need to be made in order to open a stream of funding by the start of 2007.

If a sales tax is used, the ideal time to have a public vote and the quickest way to get the money flowing into the projects would be in the November election, Weinaug said. If it’s a property tax, the city and the county will begin working on next year’s budgets soon.

“Some very basic policy decisions need to be made pretty quickly,” Weinaug said.