College-tax will increase on Three ballots

Cleveland County, Mountain Pine and Mountainburg schools districts are asking voters to approve property-tax increases in the May 18 school elections.

South Pike County, Elkins and Springdale districts are asking voters to extend their levies for additional years.

Other districts — but not all– are holding elections for school board seats.

Early voting begins Tuesday.

Districts not holding elections this month will do so in November.

State law gives districts the choice of spring or November elections during which school board members are selected and votes cast on a district’s property-tax rate — even if there is no change. School districts also can ask for a tax-rate change in a special election scheduled by their school boards.

The Cleveland County School District is asking for a 5-mill property-tax increase, the money from which would be used to finance a 1,500-seat arena, new cafeteria space and other building projects, Superintendent Craig Dupuy said last week.

It’s been more than 20 years since there has been a school tax increase in any of the communities that make up the southeast Arkansas district.

“People are happy to see some progressive thought and are ready to see some things begin to happen,” Dupuy said about the Rison area while also acknowledging that there is some opposition to the plan that would increase the tax rate from 38.1 to 43.1 mills.

The proposed Cleveland County tax levy would be used to finance a $12 million bond issue, Dupuy said, $3 million of which would be used to pay off bond debt and $8 million for projects that include a new track and field, a new pavilion between the campus buildings, and renovation of the 1987 elementary school — including restrooms, ceiling tiles, carpet and paint.

That all would be in addition to the arena and cafeteria/kitchen expansion, Dupuy said. The current cafeteria is small, making necessary several lunch periods starting about 10:15 a.m., he said. A new arena is intended to be large enough to host regional and state competitions, as well as events such as graduations.

The district serves 693 students in kindergarten through 12th grades and 125 prekindergarten students in Rison, Kingsland and New Edinburg. New Edinburg consolidated with Kingsland in the 1980s and the Kingsland and Rison districts merged in 2004.

The proposed tax increase would cost the owner of a $50,000 home an additional $50 a year. The owner of a $100,000 home would pay an additional $100 a year.

A mill is one-tenth of 1 cent. One mill levied on an assessed value of $1,000 yields $1 in property taxes. Arkansas counties assess property at 20% of appraised value, so a $100,000 house has an assessed value of $20,000. That $20,000 multiplied by the proposed 5 mills or 0.005 boost would generate the $100 tax increase.

MOUNTAIN PINE

The 614-student Mountain Pine School District in Garland County is asking for a 4.8 mill-increase that would raise the total school-tax rate to 44.7 mills. The proposed increase would cost the owner of a $50,000 piece of property an additional $47 a year and the owner of a $100,000 property an additional $94 a year.

The proceeds of a tax increase will be used to issue $12.6 million in bonds to pay off bond debt as well as pay for a new multipurpose building and a couple of classrooms, including one for the district’s growing population of special-needs students, Superintendent Bobby Applegate said.

“We will use this multi-purpose building for graduations, basketball games, assemblies, community meetings, etc.,” Applegate said in an emailed response to questions about the plan. “We are the only school in Garland County that doesn’t have a new gym or multi-purpose building. We have grown over 100 students in the past 5 years and would really like to have a nice place for our students.”

MOUNTAINBURG

The 650-student Mountainburg School District is asking for an increase of 4.9 debt services mills plus the extended levy of an existing 14.1 mills through 2051.

The proposed changes will enable the district to borrow and pay off $10.3 million to be used for the building of an all-purpose arena — including a gym, a stage and a band room — on the Mountainburg High campus, renovation of the cafeteria for the middle and high schools, and construction and refurbishing of other school facilities, according to district-provided information.

If the millage is approved, the tax rate in the district will become 44 mills. The proposed 4.9 mill increase, if approved, would add $98 a year to the school taxes paid by the the owner of a $100,000 home. It will add $49 to the tax bill of the owner of a $50,000 property.

Mountainburg Superintendent Debbie Atwell said in a letter to the community that the tax plan is the result of a needs assessment, input from faculty and staff members and the community, and work with the Arkansas Education Department’s facilities division, as well as with architects and construction managers.

“It is a promising and exciting time as we plan to address present and future needs, the future of our schools, and for future generations of Dragons,” Atwell wrote.

SPRINGDALE

The Springdale School District, the state’s largest in terms of enrollment, is asking voters to approve the continued levy of 15.5 debt service mills out of its overall 40.5 mill school tax rate as a way to finance bond issues of some $265.9 million to pay off debt and construct and remodel facilities.

The bond issue would be for 30 years.

SOUTH PIKE

The South Pike County School District, which serves the Murfreesboro and Delight communities, is not seeking an increase in the 41-mill school-tax rate but voter approval to extend by 14 years to 2051 the collection of 9.5 debt service mills as a way to finance up to $4.250 million in bonded debt.

If the tax extension is successful, the district would refinance existing bond debt and generate new revenue for a new safe room, additional bathrooms, a bandstand and to support teachers raises, Superintendent Brad Sullivan said in a video posted on the district’s Facebook page.

ELKINS

The Elkins School District in Washington County is asking voters to approve the continued levy of 19 debt service mills to finance $21.57 million in bonds that will be paid off over 30 years.

The district’s overall millage rate is 44 mills and would remain that but for a longer period.

The money from the bond issue would pay off debt and provide for the construction of a multipurpose facility at the high school and allow for repairs and renovations at the middle and high school campuses.

ON ALL BALLOTS

School districts are required under Article 14, Section 3, of the Arkansas Constitution to include their tax rates on the ballots in school elections, regardless of whether they are seeking a change.

If there is no proposed change in a tax rate, then a district seeks a vote on its current rate. In that case, no matter what voters decide, the millage rate will remain at the level last approved.

The exception to requiring the millage to be on the annual school election ballot is if a millage proposal has been on the ballot in a special election.