Six school districts will ask voters Tuesday to approve a change in property taxes.
The proposals are:
• Cleveland County School District: a 5-mill property-tax increase to finance a 1,500-seat arena, new cafeteria space and other building projects. The school tax rate would increase from 38.1 to 43.1 mills.
• Elkins School District: the continued levy of 19 debt service mills of its 44 mills to finance construction of a multipurpose facility at the high school, and make repairs and renovations at the middle and high school campuses.
• Mountain Pine School District: A 4.8-mill increase to pay for a new multipurpose building and add some classrooms. The tax rate would increase from 39.9 to 44.7 mills.
• Mountainburg School District: An increase of 4.9 debt service mills plus the extended levy of existing 14.1 mills through 2051. The proposed changes would finance an all-purpose arena, renovation of the cafeteria for the middle and high schools, and construction and refurbishment of other school facilities. If the millage is approved, the tax rate would become 44 mills.
• South Pike County School District: extend 9.5 debt service mills of its 41-mill school-tax rate to finance a new safe room, additional bathrooms, a bandstand and teachers' raises.
• Springdale School District: continue levy of 15.5 debt service mills out of its overall 40.5-mill school tax rate to finance construction and remodeling of facilities.
In addition, school districts that will hold their annual elections in May will have a millage question on ballots.
Districts are required under Article 14, Section 3, of the Arkansas Constitution to include their tax rates on the ballots in school elections, regardless of whether they seek a change.
[RELATED: Full coverage of elections in Arkansas » arkansasonline.com/elections/]
If there is no proposed change in a tax rate, then a district seeks a vote on its current rate. In that case, no matter what voters decide, the millage rate will remain at the level last approved.
The exception to requiring the millage to be on the annual school election ballot is if a millage proposal has been on the ballot in a special election.