Pulaski County residents have voted against a 0.25 percentage-point increase in the sales tax to improve transit and increase ridership across the county, according to the Pulaski County Election Commission.
Unofficial results show that residents cast 44,213 votes against the tax, compared to 34,319 in favor.
The tax was predicted to raise $18 million annually that would have allowed the Rock Region Metro to expand its bus service, increase the frequency of stops on busy routes and tailor routes to serve customer needs.
Since 1986, Rock Region Metro has relied on contributions totaling about $12.5 million from major cities within the county. With federal aid and ticket sales, the bus service operates on an annual budget of about $16 million.
Read Wednesday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.