Miller County JPs meets today to vote on proposed sales tax election

Texarkana, Ark. - Miller County Quorum Court members plan to go forward with holding a special sales tax election, provisionally planned for February.

The justices of the peace will meet at 6 p.m., today inside Texarkana Arkansas City Hall to issue a resolution of intent to go forward with setting the sales tax election. The aim is to help the county finance adding an addition 144 beds to the 285-bed Correctional Center it is outgrowing.

Prior to the full court meeting, the county's Budget and Finance Committee, along with county's Insurance Committee will hold a 5:30 p.m. meeting to discuss the courthouse's ongoing rehabilitation. However, the discussion of the Special Sales Tax Election will take center stage for the Quorum Court.

While federal funds will take care of the planned jail expansion's first phase, aimed at installing 48 to 60 beds, the second phase, will be aimed at completing the jail's full 144 bed addition. It's this phase that will have to be placed in the voters hands in an election tentatively set for Feb. 8.

Should voters approve the sales tax, as much as $1.6 million annually could be generated to expand the jail to 500 beds.

While Miller County Budget and Finance Committee Chairman Ernest Pender said that having to resort to taxing county residents is regrettable, he believes the public will understand if the JPs explain the expansion's need through a series of public meetings between now and February.

Besides a general need for more inmate jail space, the need for more room is further compounded by lingering social distancing requirements, caused by COIVID-19, and because county detention centers are required to separate prisoners by inmate classification, such high risk, moderate risk and low risk, when it comes to escape attempts and violence.

Along with the need to accommodate more inmates, Miller County Chief Deputy Mark Lewis said the jail's ultimate expansion will also increase the need for more correctional officers.

Even though a quarter-cent sales tax has been considered, an official sales tax rate has yet to be agreed upon.

County officials are looking at the phase two expansion to cost about $7 to $8 million, hence the need for a sales tax election.

Meanwhile, along with announcing their plans to move forward with the special election during today's meeting, the Justices of the Peace also plan to announce their intent to move forward with the Phase one jail building plan, which 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.

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