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.