LITTLE ROCK, AR — Folks in three local school districts voted against millage rate increases last night that would’ve had them paying more on their property taxes.
To build new schools and update old ones, Pulaski County Special School District, Sheridan and Hot Springs asked residents for more money. But, after voters said “no” administrators must go back to the drawing board.
PCSSD Chief Operations Officer Derek Scott said, “Yeah it was a pretty big resounding no from the tax payer!”
Scott says the last time voters agreed to pay more school taxes, for PCSSD, was in the year 1992.
He said, “To put that in perspective, gasoline was $1.20 a gallon. It’s been a long time since we passed a millage.”
David Ray, State Director for Americans for Prosperity, said, “The number one concern we were hearing from voters is basically a blanket message that they were taxed enough already.”
Ray says his organization launched a voter education campaign on millage increases at Arkansas school districts. He says voters they talked to preferred money be used inside the classroom instead of on construction.
“When you take into account the fact that Arkansas has the highest state income tax of any state in the south, we have the second highest sales tax of any state in the country…voters were telling us that they really just didn’t have much stomach for another tax increase,” Ray said.
We asked the folks at PCSSD if they plan on trying for another millage increase soon and were told it would be at least a couple of years.
So…what’s next for that district?
Right now administrators tell us they still plan on building a new high school. Once that happens, students at the aging Fuller Middle School will move to Mills High School.
The only building expected to close — at this point — is Scott Elementary.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder on Twitter, click here.
To build new schools and update old ones, Pulaski County Special School District, Sheridan and Hot Springs asked residents for more money. But, after voters said “no” administrators must go back to the drawing board.
PCSSD Chief Operations Officer Derek Scott said, “Yeah it was a pretty big resounding no from the tax payer!”
Scott says the last time voters agreed to pay more school taxes, for PCSSD, was in the year 1992.
He said, “To put that in perspective, gasoline was $1.20 a gallon. It’s been a long time since we passed a millage.”
David Ray, State Director for Americans for Prosperity, said, “The number one concern we were hearing from voters is basically a blanket message that they were taxed enough already.”
Ray says his organization launched a voter education campaign on millage increases at Arkansas school districts. He says voters they talked to preferred money be used inside the classroom instead of on construction.
“When you take into account the fact that Arkansas has the highest state income tax of any state in the south, we have the second highest sales tax of any state in the country…voters were telling us that they really just didn’t have much stomach for another tax increase,” Ray said.
We asked the folks at PCSSD if they plan on trying for another millage increase soon and were told it would be at least a couple of years.
So…what’s next for that district?
Right now administrators tell us they still plan on building a new high school. Once that happens, students at the aging Fuller Middle School will move to Mills High School.
The only building expected to close — at this point — is Scott Elementary.
If you would like to follow Melissa Schroeder on Twitter, click here.
