Public Forums On Jonesboro Sales Tax Election Announced
by September 23, 2015 8:02 pm 123 views
The dates for a series of public meetings to discuss the Nov. 10 Jonesboro sales tax election have been set, Jonesboro city communications director Fritz Gisler said Wednesday.
A public forum for residents of wards 1 and 4 will be the first of three events to provide information and gather feedback on two Jonesboro sales tax questions that will be decided in a Nov. 10 special election.
The first forum will begin at 6:30 p.m. Monday (Sept. 28) at the Jonesboro High School auditorium.
The other two events will follow on successive Mondays. The forum for wards 2 and 3 will begin at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 5 at the Jonesboro Public Works Facility, 2601 Dan Ave. The forum for wards 5 and 6 will be at 6:30 p.m. Oct. 12 at the Nettleton Performing Arts Center.
The first forum will start with a slide series narrated by Mayor Harold Perrin. Then a panel comprised of the mayor, Jonesboro attorney Robert Jones and former Jonesboro Chief Financial Officer Ben Barylske will field questions. Roy Ockert, editor emeritus of The Sun, will serve as moderator.
The slide series for each forum will be geared toward projects proposed in the two designated wards, but all forums are open to the public.
Questions on the Nov. 10 ballot will include:
• A seven-eighths of 1 percent sales tax, to be collected over 10 years, to fund the city’s share street and bridge improvement projects; and
• A one-eighth of 1 percent sales tax, also to expire in 10 years, to finance economic development efforts of a new public corporation to be established for that purpose.
Early voting will start Nov. 3.