Voters in 10 Arkansas school districts passed millage increases Tuesday evening that will fund construction of new schools, performing arts centers, cafeterias and other projects, while voters in seven districts turned down millage raises.
Returns were not available in Poinsett County late Tuesday where voters were determining a millage increase in the Marked Tree School District and whether to equalize the Harrisburg district's rate with that of the former Weiner School District, which the Harrisburg district merged with in 2011.
Voters in the Heber Springs School District turned down a 3.6-mill increase that would have funded raises for staff and faculty members.
Complete, but unofficial results are:
Boone County
Valley Springs School District, 7.1-mill increase, from 32.8 mills to 39.9 mills for construction of high school.
For 223
Against 237
Carroll County
Berryville School District, 4.45-mill increase, from 38.05 mills to 42.5 mills for construction of high school, cafeterias and media centers.
For 544
Against 457
Cleburne County
Heber Springs School District, 3.6-mill increase, from 32.8 mills to 36.4 mills for teacher and staff salaries and benefits.
For 549
Against 1,072
Columbia County
Magnolia School District, 3.4-mill increase, from 29.6 mills to 33 mills for construction of high school performing arts center and health center.
For 545
Against 409
Desha County
Dumas School District, 3-mill increase, from 39 to 42 mills for new maintenance and operation.
For 420
Against 104
Faulkner County
Vilonia School District, 5.7-mill increase, from 39.9 mills to 45.6 mills for construction of auditorium, renovations.
For 719
Against 1,122
Garland County
Cutter Morning Star School District, 8.4-mill increase, from 40.5 mills to 48.9 mills for construction of high school.
For 302
Against 208
Greene County
Greene County Tech, 4-mill increase, from 37.49 mills to 41.49 mills for maintenance and operation and new debt service.
For 462
Against 836
Hot Spring County
Malvern School District, 3.49-mill increase, from 37.65 mills to 41.14 mills for renovations to high school campus.
For 629
Against 189
Jackson County
Jackson County School District, 3-mill increase, from 33 mills to 36 mills for general repairs to buildings, new roof, air-conditioning and heating to field house.
For 286
Against 114
Johnson County
Lamar School District, 4.65-mill increase, from 35.33 mills to 39.98 mills for construction of high school.
For 556
Against 142
Lincoln County
Star City School District, 4.65-mill increase, from 35.33 mills to 39.98 mills for construction of high school.
For 373
Against 627
Little River County
Ashdown School District, 3.9-mill increase, from 35.7 mills to 39.6 mills for construction of high school.
For 564
Against 677
Monroe County
Clarendon School District, 3.5-mill increase, from 35.9 mills to 39.4 mills for construction of gymnasium.
For 450
Against 164
Perry County
Perryville School District, 2.7-mill increase, from 34.98 mills to 37.68 mills for construction of cafeteria.
For 279
Against 139
Poinsett County
Harrisburg School District, 4.4-mill increase, from 35.5 mills to 39.9. mills to equalize millage rate with the rate in the former Weiner School District, which merged with the Harrisburg School District in 2011.
For n/a
Against n/a
Marked Tree School District, 6-mill increase, from 33.5 mills to 39.5 mills for construction on elementary and high school, and renovations to cafeterias.
For n/a
Against n/a
Saline County
Bauxite School District, 3.6-mill increase, from 38.6 mills to 42.2 mills for construction of academic building and additional classrooms.
For 292
Against 354
Sevier County
De Queen School District, 4.9-mill increase, from 27.3 mills to 32.2 mills for construction of high school.
For 832
Against 541
A mill is one-10th of a cent and generates $1 in property taxes for every $1,000 of assessed value. A county assesses property at 20 percent of its appraised value, and the assessment is multiplied by the millage rate to determine the taxes owed by homeowners.
If a house is valued at $100,000, the property owner would pay $20 more a year in taxes for each additional mill increase.
Information for this article was contributed by Dave Hughes and Jake Sandlin of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette.
State Desk on 09/20/2017