Voters Respond To Survey

PRICE TAG MAIN REASON RESIDENTS VOTED AGAINST MILLAGE INCREASE

Sophomore Robert Purkapile, 15, from right, junior Adam Edens, 17, sophomore Ray Sanders, 15, sophomore Bethany Marple, 15, and sophomore Heather Price, 15, all Bentonville High School students, talk during their lunch break Wednesday at the school. The Bentonville School District has released results of a survey sent to voters about the failed millage increase election in June.
Sophomore Robert Purkapile, 15, from right, junior Adam Edens, 17, sophomore Ray Sanders, 15, sophomore Bethany Marple, 15, and sophomore Heather Price, 15, all Bentonville High School students, talk during their lunch break Wednesday at the school. The Bentonville School District has released results of a survey sent to voters about the failed millage increase election in June.

— Survey results released by the School District on Wednesday give insight into why voters overwhelmingly turned down a millage increase June 26.

A majority of the 1,712 respondents said the cost — $128 million — was the main reason they voted against it.

The survey was sent Aug. 24 on prepaid postcards to 8,842 district residents who voted in the election. A comment section allowed respondents to give more insight into their decisions.

“We are 86 and 83,” one person wrote. “We can no longer afford to pay any raise in our real estate taxes. You should learn to live within your means.”

A 6.7-mill increase was proposed to pay for a 2,000-student second high school in Centerton, a remodel of Bentonville High School, technology and heating upgrades and cooling systems districtwide.

If the increase had passed, the district’s millage rate to 50.4 mills — the highest in the state.

A home in Bella Vista with a market value of $200,000 would have a current annual tax bill of $1,838. If the increase had been approved, the tax bill on that home would have increased $268 a year. Annual tax bills differ from city to city in the district.

By The Numbers

Survey Results

Respondents of a survey sent out by the Bentonville School District were asked to rank the three reasons why they voted for or against a millage increase on June 26. Options chosen as one of three reasons for or against are listed below.

Against

  • Cost of the plan: 835
  • Impact on property taxes: 749
  • Athletic facilities: 487
  • Current economic climate: 351
  • Two high school instead of one: 150
  • Location: 107
  • Districtwide technology needs: 19
  • Operations: 17
  • HVAC and facility needs: 7
  • Overcrowding: 4

For

  • Overcrowding: 610
  • Two high schools instead of one: 441
  • District-wide technology needs: 256
  • HVAC and facility needs: 102
  • Location: 84
  • Athletic facilities: 68
  • Cost of plan: 32
  • Operations: 25
  • Current economic climate: 27
  • Impact on property taxes: 15

Source: Bentonville School District

Travis Riggs, Bentonville School Board member, said he wasn’t surprised by the results of the survey.

“It is the same stuff we have been hearing,” Riggs said. “Overall cost of the millage is going to be a battle we are going to have to tackle. I think we are going to have to put our heads together with this new board and find a way to do it.”

Respondents were asked to rank the top three things that influenced their vote. The list included cost of the plan, location, impact on property taxes, overcrowding, districtwide technology needs, current economic climate, two high schools instead of one, athletic facilities, HVAC and facility needs, and operations.

Cost was ranked as the top reason 474 respondents didn’t support the millage increase. The impact on property taxes was a top choice of 317 people, and 226 said they didn’t like the cost of athletic facilities.

“Athletics at the expense of education is not a good long-term choice,” a resident wrote on the survey. “Cut plans for those facilities and find a way to cut costs and I’ll vote for a second high school.”

District officials also received insight into why some voters supported the increase. To resolve overcrowding was the top reason for 505 respondents. Two high schools instead of one was the first choice for 273 respondents, while 131 people approved the millage increase for districtwide technology needs.

“We need a second comprehensive high school with comparable student capacity,” a respondent wrote. “Forego athletic facilities until a campaign for private funds.”

Overall, 441 respondents marked two high schools instead of one as one of the three reasons they voted in favor of the proposal. Yet, 150 voters said one of the three reasons they voted against the millage was because it included two high school instead of one.

There wasn’t an option for ninth-grade center supporters to mark. However, 101 respondents said they preferred a ninth-grade center in the comment section.

“Would vote yes for a ninth-grade center to later addition for second high school when needed,” one card read.

More than 9,630 people voted in the election overall, with 5,597 against the increase and 4,033 in favor.

Superintendent Michael Poore said district officials should only look at the survey results as a piece to the puzzle.

“We still have to combine the election results with this piece of the data,” Poore said. “The obvious is that it just was too high and we have to come in at a lower number. Those things have been shared with us. We have heard that it has to be a lower number.”

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