Hutchinson makes road tax his main priority for 2020 campaign

LITTLE ROCK - Gov. Asa Hutchinson's re-election campaign will focus on winning voter approval for a proposed constitutional amendment that would make Arkansas' 0.5% sales tax for highways and roads permanent.

At Tuesday's meeting of the Arkansas Good Roads Foundation, Hutchinson said the proposal is vital to the state's future. Arkansas officials project the measure would raise about $205 million a year for highways.

Voters approved the tax in 2012 but it is set to expire after 10 years, the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported.

A Gilmore Strategy Group poll in October found 62% of 800 likely voters said they're going to vote for Issue 1 or are likely to vote in favor of it, according to Hutchinson. The poll also showed 68.6%