Jonesboro Voters Head To Polls Tuesday To Amend Special Sales Tax

Voters will go to the polls Tuesday to decide whether or not to amend a 2000 sales tax ordinance that will allow the city of Jonesboro to reprioritize its budget for the future. The proposal does not involve a new tax or a tax increase, Mayor Harold Perrin said.

The 2000 sales tax – a one-cent sales tax with half of the proceeds going toward capital improvements and the other half going toward city maintenance and operations – collects about $15 million per year, city officials have said.

The city also receives funding from a half-cent sales tax that goes toward police and fire protection, which was passed by city voters in 2010. That tax, which collects about $7.5 million, is set to end Jan. 1.

Under the plan on the ballot August 12th, the 2010 tax will be allowed to expire with the 2000 tax being kept in place. Perrin said he believes if voters approve the plan, there will be enough money to accomplish capital improvement projects while working on other issues.

“In the past five years, the city has done extensive capital improvement,” Perrin said, noting he does not anticipate any major capital improvement projects needed for the foreseeable future. The city has moved into a new municipal center, placed its street and sanitation departments into one location, renovated the pool at the old YMCA (now city aquatic center) and is in the process of moving into a new police station.

The police station – a former U.S. Army center on Caraway Road – is expected to open later this month and will give the department additional room for evidence, offices and storage.

As for the future, Perrin said the reworking of the tax will allow city officials to balance maintenance and operations while maintaining work on capital improvement projects.

One of the projects for the future involves resurfacing and other street work on Race Street. Work is being done on the road, which intersects Red Wolf Boulevard and Caraway Road with more work expected to be done early next year, Perrin said.

City officials have hosted a public meeting and have been visiting civic clubs in recent weeks, talking about the issue, Perrin said.

“There has been no negatives,” Perrin said of the comments. “All I have asked people to do is to vote their conviction.”

Polling site locations that will be open for Tuesday’s special election include:

* Walnut Street Baptist Church on Walnut Street.
* Valley View Church of Christ on Southwest Drive.
* Central Baptist Church on Harrisburg Road.
* Earl Bell Community Center on Church Street.
* Parker Park Community Center on North Church Street.
* Allen Park Community Center on Race Street.
* ASU Armory on Aggie Road.
* NEA District Fairgrounds on U.S. 49.