Back in 2012, Arkansas voters approved a temporary 0.5% sales-tax increase to raise money for transportation infrastructure - highways, roads and bridges, for example.
The tax brings in about $300 million a year, which is a nice chunk of change. The state gets 70% of the revenue, with 15% going to counties and the remaining 15 percent going to cities. So the tax money gets spread around.
But there's a problem - at least for those government entities. As noted earlier, the sales-tax increase was only temporary. It's set to expire in 2023.
Unless the people vote to keep it.
Come the November elections, Arkansas voters will have the opportunity to make the tax permanent and keep the dollars rolling in. Supporters of the Arkansas Transportation Sales Tax Continuation Amendment, as it's called, are quick to say this is no tax increase. After all, folks have been paying the extra 0.5% for some time now. A "yes" vote would just keep taxes the same.
Nice way to look at it. But the truth is the state (counties and cities, too) want to make permanent a tax that was sold to the public as temporary.
Now, it may well be a good idea to make the tax permanent. We supported it back as a temporary measure in 2012 because it costs money to keep highways and bridges in good repair and the money has to come from somewhere. Still does. But the voters should be clear on what they're being asked to support, not given the old razzle-dazzle by those eager to keep that tax money flowing.
The Arkansas Department of Transportation is having public meetings about the tax continuation. One be will right here in Texarkana at 5:30 pm, January 30. It will be at Trinity Baptist Church.
It's your chance to hear the case for the tax and share your views about it.