BENTONVILLE — Bentonville School District officials plan to ask voters to approve a 7.3-mill increase June 26 to pay for a $135.7 million second high school for 2,000 students.
The district has a school millage rate of 43.7 mills. If the increase is approved, the new rate would be 51 mills, making it the highest in the state. The Fouke School District in Miller County currently has the highest school millage rate, at 49 mills. The North Little Rock School District is currently the second-highest, with a recently approved rate of 48.3 mills.
John Fuller with the DLR Group said a successful election held when school is out of session can be tough, but not impossible. The DLR Group has been hired by the district to help inform voters of the election.
“Normally in the summer you don’t do this, but this summer we will have to,” Fuller said. “You certainly have to make sure the parents are reminded there is a June election that still affects their child.”
Early voting could be an option for those planning to be out of town election day, Fuller said. The last day of school in the district is May 21.
Superintendent Michael Poore said June 26 is the earliest the district can hold the election.
Benton County Clerk Tena O’Brien said school millage elections must be held before the time of a district’s annual School Board election if it is going to be in the same year. The board’s election is Sept. 18.
The board plans to approve April 16 a millage question to go on the ballot. District officials must then publish the question in a newspaper 60 days before the election date. The Benton County Election Commission also must approve the date.
Board member Travis Riggs said a June election date shouldn’t hurt the chances of the millage passing.
“I believe with the community support we have for a second high school they will rally around the date and get support and get this voted for,”Riggs said. “We are going to fight hard to get this passed.”
The proposed millage increase would cost the owner of a $100,000 home an additional $146 per year on his property tax bill.
Information for this article was contributed by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
Arkansas, Pages 8 on 03/26/2012