Bentonville, Rogers win millage hikes; Pea Ridge issue fails

Poll worker Winona Woods places an “I Voted” sticker on Jesse Bray after Bray voted Tuesday in the school millage election at First Baptist Church in Pea Ridge. Poll workers in Pea Ridge reported a steady stream of voters.
Poll worker Winona Woods places an “I Voted” sticker on Jesse Bray after Bray voted Tuesday in the school millage election at First Baptist Church in Pea Ridge. Poll workers in Pea Ridge reported a steady stream of voters.

Voters in the Bentonville and Rogers school districts approved millage increases by wide margins Tuesday, agreeing to higher taxes to build more schools.

Pea Ridge voters, meanwhile, rejected a tax increase that would have paid for a new high school, despite a pledge from the state to provide millions of dollars for the project if the proposal passed.

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Enrollment growth was at the root of each district's request. The three districts' combined enrollment has increased more than 13 percent over the past five years.

The Rogers proposal of 3.5 mills passed with 1,728 votes (58 percent) in favor and 1,242 votes (42 percent) against, according to unofficial results.

Tuesday's request was the first time Rogers had sought a millage increase since a successful bid for six additional mills in 2003.

The voters' approval of 3.5 mills brings the Rogers district's millage rate to 41.9, which still ranks it in the bottom half of the 15 districts in Benton and Washington counties.

Some of the tax increase will go toward construction of two elementary schools. The first school is planned to open in August 2019. An opening date for the second school has not been determined.

Existing schools will benefit as well. District officials have said they will use money from the millage increase to improve the technological infrastructure and increase safety and security. That includes adequate exterior lighting, security cameras and playground fencing.

Rogers experienced an unexpected enrollment spike this school year, forcing the board to re-evaluate its facility plans. Enrollment at the elementary school level -- grades kindergarten through five -- has grown by more than 300 students since fall 2015.

Superintendent Marlin Berry said he was grateful for Tuesday's outcome.

"It's positive for our schools, our staff and our kids," Berry said.

Berry also pledged the district would continue to be efficient with the money it's been given.

"We will stretch it and make good use of the dollars," he said.

Bentonville will use its 1.9-mill increase, combined with state grants and refinancing of old bonds, to build two elementary schools, a middle school and a junior high school over the next several years.

Bentonville's millage request passed with 2,847 votes (65 percent) in favor and 1,518 votes (35 percent) against, according to unofficial results.

Eric White, a School Board member who led the millage campaign, pointed to the leadership of district administrators as the main reason for the proposal's success.

"The end result started with the right plan," White said.

Debbie Jones, superintendent, and Janet Schwanhausser, finance director, crafted long-term facility and financial plans that allowed the board to ask for the least amount of millage required to build four schools and buy the land for them, he said.

"It's good for the kids," White said. "At the end of the day, what we wanted to do was not win an election, but to make room for the kids we know are coming."

Bentonville's enrollment grew by about 550 students this school year. Enrollment is now about 16,550, making Bentonville the third-largest school district in Arkansas. Administrators are projecting 3.5 percent growth for each of the next several years.

The increase pushes Bentonville's millage rate to 48.5, tying it with North Little Rock for the second-highest rate in the state. Only the Fouke School District, at 49.0, has a higher rate.

The Bentonville millage campaign committee benefited from donations of more than $40,000, according to a filing with the Arkansas Ethics Commission. The mayors of Bentonville, Bella Vista and Centerton openly supported the millage proposal, as did the Greater Bentonville Area Chamber of Commerce.

Pea Ridge sought 5.1 mills that would have provided about $8.7 million for a new high school and remodeling and equipping of other school facilities. The state would have kicked in $10.6 million if the proposal had passed.

The issue failed with 421 votes (46 percent) in favor and 494 votes (54 percent) against.

"We'll have some overcrowding issues at the high school and the middle school," said Rick Neal, Pea Ridge's superintendent. "We don't know what our next steps are going to be right now. It's going to be interesting. Interesting conversations."

The district's millage rate would have increased to 49.9, which would have been highest in the state. One mill brings the district only $91,000, a fraction of what Rogers and Bentonville collect. The owner of a $100,000 home would have paid $102 more in taxes per year if the proposal had passed.

There were 112,230 people registered to vote in the three districts combined. Voter turnout overall was 7.4 percent.

NW News on 05/10/2017

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