ELKINS — Elkins School District patrons want a new high school, based on their votes Tuesday to increase property taxes by 4.6 mills.
Complete but unofficial results were: For......................................363 Against...............................182
The 545 votes represented about 20 percent of the school district’s 2,743 registered voters.
The turnout was especially high for a school election, said Otto Moos, election supervisor in Elkins.
Several voters who cast ballots in favor of the millage increase said they were prompted to do so by the age and condition of the high school, parts of which are at least 50 years old.
The Arkansas Public School Facilities and Transportation Division said Elkins High School needs to be replaced. The district received $5.7 million from the facilities division to help with construction.
The tax increase will generate about $5 million for the high school construction. It is expected the new buildingwill be built on a 60-acre tract the district purchased several years ago.
Bruce Clark, a longtime Elkins resident who attended Elkins schools starting in the early 1950s, said he favored the millage increase because “our kids need it and I know these are hard times.”
Another patron, Mike Martine, said, “We will feel the impact, but they need a new high school.”
His wife, Kathy Martine, added, “Have you seen the high school?”
Several others leaving the polling place at the Elkins Community Center said they were opposed to the additional tax, suggesting the district should find ways to cut other expenses to come up with the money.
Savannah Powell said she would like to see spending cut, especially in the area of unneeded personnel.
Although there was no organized opposition, some people said they intended to vote against the measure because the district was asking for too much money in uncertain economic times.
Northwest Arkansas, Pages 8 on 09/22/2011