HELENA-WEST HELENA -- Early voting begins today in the Helena-West Helena School District's second attempt in four months to pass a millage increase.
The district called for the March 14 special election so voters can decide on a proposed 9.75-mill school tax increase that would raise the overall millage rate from 34.4 mills to 44.15 mills.
A mill is one-10th of 1 cent. School officials said the millage increase would mean a resident in the district with a home appraised at $75,000 -- which is the median valued home appraised in the district -- would pay an additional $108 a year in property taxes.
School officials said the district needs to build a new junior high school to replace Central High School.
"We are in a very critical situation," Helena-West Helena School Board President Andrew Bagley said.
Bagley said the facility, built in the late 1940s, has leaks in its roof and floors and the building's foundation has shifted.
"We have sunlight coming in where there's no windows," he said.
Plans call for demolishing a portion of the campus at Central High School and replacing it with a new building for seventh- through 12th-grade students. Superintendent John Hoy's office also would move from an administrative building to the new school.
The high school would feature new science labs and a 350-seat auditorium for music and drama programs.
Bagley said the construction would cost about $28.7 million.
Voters turned down a similar millage proposal in November by a vote of 2,135-2,027.
State Desk on 03/07/2017