2011 School Board Election Information

If you're curious about the 2011 school board elections in White County, only one position is contested, the Bald Knob Position 5.

The election will be held September 20 7:30 A.M. to 7:30 P.M. at your usual voting precincts. Early voting started September 13 at the White County Clerk's office, and it ends September 19. The Clerk's office is open 8 A.M. to 4:30 P.M. Monday through Friday.

If you are interested in who is running for school board this year, see the list of candidates below the break or click here to download the list.

White County Economic Stimulus Plan Rejected

The White County sales tax increase proposal was rejected by voters today with 2477 voting for the measure and 3248 voting against it. With the proposal receiving 57 percent of the vote against it, White County and Searcy elected officials will have to consider other avenues of funding for the Highway 13 extension/bypass work that do not include unpopular redistribution of wealth and economic stimulus components.

White County 1 Percent Tax Increase Election Information

The White County Clerk's office has finally posted information for the "for Hwy 267-Hwy 36 (Hwy 13 Extension) and economic development tax" on the Clerk's Web site. The following information is available there (early voting actually started Sept. 6):

Sept 5th - 12th, 8am-4:30pm
County Clerk's office
Early voting for Hwy 267-Hwy 36 (Hwy 13 Extension) and economic development tax

Sept 13th, 7:30am - 7:30pm
Voting in Precincts for Hwy 267-Hwy 36 (Hwy 13 Extension) and economic development tax

For those of us voting September 13, you may want to double-check your voting precinct. The best way to do that is to go to the Arkansas Secretary of State's Voter View Web site. If you enter your first name, last name, and date of birth, the Web site will give you your voter registration information including your polling place. Alternatively, you may call the White County Clerk's office at 501-279-6204.

Be an informed voter. Before you vote, study up on the issue. A wealth of information is available about the proposal online. The following isn't an exhaustive list, but it'll help you get started.

• Web site for the tax: http://www.facebook.com/wcroads
• Web site against the tax: BypasstheBypassTax.com

White County's Ecomonic Stimulus Plan

We have another special election coming up this month. Early voting begins tomorrow, September 6, on a county-wide sales tax increase. Registered voters in White County can visit the White County Clerk's office to place early votes, and the special election will be held on September 13. Unfortunately, the White County Clerk's Web site does not have any information available about the election, so you'll have to call 501-279-6204 for voting places and times.

To read about the tax, you'll probably have to go to the Citizens for Responsible Taxation's Web site, BypasstheBypassTax.com where you'll find the tax increase proposal posted in their documents section. The tax increase has four basic provisions:

1. Increase the White County sales tax by 1 percent for 21 months
2. Distribute the money collected from tax payers to "the County and each municipality therein" based on population
3. Require that 87.5 percent of the money collected from tax payers be spent on "roads, streets and bridges, including any drainage improvements related thereto"
4. Require that 12.5 percent of the money collected from tax payers be spent on "economic development purposes" "to stimulate the local economy"

This tax started as a way for Searcy to come up with $3 million of the $6 million in local funds the state requires as matching funds for the Highway 13 expansion also known as the Searcy Bypass. Why does White County plan to tax us for $18 million when they already have enough to pay the full $6 million in local funds (as of July 25, 2011, the county had $7.16 million in its General Fund with over $2 million in reserve)? The tax is estimated to collect an almost $18 million to spread around to every incorporated municipality and the County. Further, if the estimates are correct, $2.25 million of the tax increase (12.5 percent) will be used for government economic stimulus. However, scholarly research shows that government stimulus is a losing proposition. 

Whether you are for or against this tax increase and its stimulus spending, make time to early vote starting September 6 or vote September 13.