TEXARKANA, Ark. - Instead of holding a tax election in December, Miller County will very likely now hold the election in February.
During a joint meeting between both the county's Jail Committee and Finance Committee on Monday, officials agreed it would be best to recommend to the county's full Quorum Court next week that plans go forward for the first phase of jail expansion - which can be achieved with federal dollars.
As for the second phase, both committees plan to recommend money for it be placed in the voters hands - in the form of a possible quarter-cent sales tax election, tentatively set for Feb. 8.
Should voters approve the sales tax, a Little Rock-based bonding company said as much as $1.6 million annually could be generated to expand the jail from it present 285-bed capacity to 500 beds. Once expansion is complete 1/8 (or half) of that quarter-cent sales tax could be retired and discontinued, while the other 1/8 would be permanent for the expanded jail's operation and maintenance costs. Phase one would yield about 6,500 extra square feet.
Phase one can be financed with $3.1 million of the $4.2 million the county received earlier this year in COVID-19 American Rescue Fund Act money.
As for phase two, the sales tax, if approved, would yield a about 13,000 additional square feet of constructed expansion ( by generating between $6.2 to $8 million) before the half portion (1/8) of that tax is retired.
While Miller County Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Ernest Pender said that having to resort to taxing county residents is seriously regrettable, he believes the public will understand if the its explained to them through a series of public meetings between now and February.
"I hate raising sales taxes, but if we don't then we are faced with having to ship our inmates to other counties and that would cost us a lot more," he said.
The County's Quorum Court 's meeting will be Sept. 13.