Popular Name:
Jonesboro Public Safety Sales And Use Tax Election
Ballot Title:
Calling for an election requesting the levy of a new five-eighths of one percent (0.625%) sales and use tax within the City of Jonesboro, the net collections of which
after deduction of the administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates shall be used for the sole and restricted purpose of funding new and
existing public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations, including one or more of the following (i) to pay the costs of new,
improvements to existing, and the future renovation, improvement, and repair of facilities and equipment used to support and promote public safety, including
particularly, without limitation, land acquisition, construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more stand alone or co-located fire stations, police stations, first
responder operations centers, emergency services buildings, communication centers, animal services buildings, code enforcement offices, and safe rooms, street
lighting, cameras and monitoring equipment, emergency vehicles, apparatus, and equipment, protective and support gear for public safety personnel, and
technology hardware and software, together with extension and relocation of utilities, related administrative offices, traffic signals, project site infrastructure and
drainage, parking, furnishings, and equipment, (ii) to pay the costs of operation, maintenance, and providing of public safety services, initiatives, facilities, and
infrastructure and related costs, including, but not limited to, costs of utilities, salaries, wages, and benefits, and (iii) to pay and secure the repayment of bonds
approved by the voters and issued by the City from time to time to finance public safety facilities and infrastructure.
Ordinance Levying Tax
AN ORDINANCE LEVYING A CITY-WIDE FIVE-EIGHTHS OF ONE PERCENT (0.625%) SALES AND USE TAX; AND PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS
PERTAINING THERETO
WHEREAS, under the authority granted pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated §26-75-307(b) and Article 5, §1 of the Arkansas Constitution, citizens of the City of Jonesboro,
Arkansas (the “City”) have presented a petition to the Jonesboro City Clerk and to the Jonesboro City Council requesting that the City call an election on the levy of a new five-eighths of
one percent (0.625%) sales and use tax dedicated to public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations; and
WHEREAS, the City Council of the City has determined that the City is in need of an additional source of revenue to be used for the sole and restricted purpose of funding new
and existing public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations, including one or more of the following (i) to pay the costs of new, improvements to
existing, and the future renovation, improvement, and repair of facilities and equipment used to support and promote public safety, including particularly, without limitation, land
acquisition, construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more stand alone or co-located fire stations, police stations, first responder operations centers, emergency services buildings,
communication centers, animal services buildings, code enforcement offices, and safe rooms, street lighting, cameras and monitoring equipment, emergency vehicles, apparatus, and
equipment, protective and support gear for public safety personnel, and technology hardware and software, together with extension and relocation of utilities, related administrative
offices, traffic signals, project site infrastructure and drainage, parking, furnishings, and equipment, (ii) to pay the costs of operation, maintenance, and providing of public safety
services, initiatives, facilities, and infrastructure and related costs, including, but not limited to, costs of utilities, salaries, wages, and benefits, and (iii) to pay and secure the repayment of
bonds approved by the voters and issued by the City from time to time to finance public safety facilities and infrastructure; and
WHEREAS, Title 26, Chapter 75, Subchapter 3 of the Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated (the “Authorizing Legislation”) provides for the levy of city-wide sales and use taxes at
the rate of 0.125%, 0.25%, 0.5%, 0.75% or 1%, or any combination thereof; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Ordinance is to levy an additional City-wide sales and use tax at the rate of 0.625%;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas:
Section 1. Under the authority of the Authorizing Legislation, there is hereby levied a five-eighths of one percent (0.625%) tax on the gross receipts from the sale at retail within
the City of all items which are subject to the Arkansas Gross Receipts Act of 1941, as amended (A.C.A. §§26-52-101, et seq.), and the imposition of an excise (or use) tax on the storage,
use, distribution or other consumption within the City of tangible personal property subject to the Arkansas Compensating Tax Act of 1949, as amended (A.C.A. §§26-53-101, et seq.),
at a rate of five-eighths of one percent (0.625%) of the sale price of the property or, in the case of lease or rentals, of the lease or rental price (collectively, the “Sales and Use Tax”). The
Sales and Use Tax shall be levied and collected on the gross receipts, gross proceeds or sales price in the maximum amount allowed from time to time under Arkansas law, subject to
rebates and limitations as from time to time required by Arkansas statutes for certain single transactions.
Section 2. The Sales and Use Tax shall be levied, and the net collections received after deduction of the administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates shall
be used for the sole and restricted purpose of funding new and existing public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations, including one or more of
the following (i) to pay the costs of new, improvements to existing, and the future renovation, improvement, and repair of facilities and equipment used to support and promote public
safety, including particularly, without limitation, land acquisition, construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more stand alone or co-located fire stations, police stations, first
responder operations centers, emergency services buildings, communication centers, animal services buildings, code enforcement offices, and safe rooms, street lighting, cameras and
monitoring equipment, emergency vehicles, apparatus, and equipment, protective and support gear for public safety personnel, and technology hardware and software, together with
extension and relocation of utilities, related administrative offices, traffic signals, project site infrastructure and drainage, parking, furnishings, and equipment, (ii) to pay the costs of
operation, maintenance, and providing of public safety services, initiatives, facilities, and infrastructure and related costs, including, but not limited to, costs of utilities, salaries, wages,
and benefits, and (iii) to pay and secure the repayment of bonds approved by the voters and issued by the City from time to time to finance public safety facilities and infrastructure.
Section 3. All ordinances and parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Section 4. This Ordinance shall not take effect until an election is held on the question of levying the Sales and Use Tax at which a majority of the electors voting on the question
shall have approved the levy of the Sales and Use Tax.
Ordinance Calling Election
AN ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION IN THE CITY OF JONESBORO, ARKANSAS ON THE QUESTION OF LEVYING A CITY-WIDE FIVE-
EIGHTHS OF ONE PERCENT (0.625%) SALES AND USE TAX; AND PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO.
WHEREAS, under the authority granted pursuant to Arkansas Code Annotated §26-75-307(b) and Article 5, §1 of the Arkansas Constitution, citizens of the City of Jonesboro,
Arkansas (the “City”) have presented a petition to the Jonesboro City Clerk and to the Jonesboro City Council requesting that the City call an election on the levy of a new five-eighths of
one percent (0.625%) sales and use tax dedicated to public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations; and
WHEREAS, pursuant to Ordinance No. ____, the City has levied the tax; and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Ordinance is to call a special election on the question of the levy of the Sales and Use Tax (defined below).
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the City Council of the City of Jonesboro, Arkansas:
Section 1. There is hereby called a special election to be held on November 3, 2026, at which election there shall be submitted to the electors of the City the question of the levy
of a new five-eighths of one percent (0.625%) sales and use tax dedicated to public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations as authorized by
Arkansas Code Annotated §§ 26-75-301 et seq. (the “Sales and Use Tax”).
Section 2. The question of levying the Sales and Use Tax shall be placed on the ballot for the election in substantially the following form:
0.625% SALES AND USE TAX
Adoption of a 0.625% local sales and use tax within the City of Jonesboro, the net collections of which after deduction of the administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required
rebates shall be used for the sole and restricted purpose of funding new and existing public safety services, initiatives, facilities, infrastructure, maintenance, and operations, including one
or more of the following (i) to pay the costs of new, improvements to existing, and the future renovation, improvement, and repair of facilities and equipment used to support and
promote public safety, including particularly, without limitation, land acquisition, construction, expansion, or renovation of one or more stand alone or co-located fire stations, police
stations, first responder operations centers, emergency services buildings, communication centers, animal services buildings, code enforcement offices, and safe rooms, street lighting,
cameras and monitoring equipment, emergency vehicles, apparatus, and equipment, protective and support gear for public safety personnel, and technology hardware and software,
together with extension and relocation of utilities, related administrative offices, traffic signals, project site infrastructure and drainage, parking, furnishings, and equipment, (ii) to pay the
costs of operation, maintenance, and providing of public safety services, initiatives, facilities, and infrastructure and related costs, including, but not limited to, costs of utilities, salaries,
wages, and benefits, and (iii) to pay and secure the repayment of bonds approved by the voters and issued by the City from time to time to finance public safety facilities and
infrastructure.
FOR
AGAINST
Section 3. The election shall be held and conducted and the vote canvassed and the results declared under the law and in the manner now provided for municipal elections and
only qualified voters of the City shall have the right to vote at the election.
Section 4. The results of the election shall be proclaimed by the Mayor, and such Proclamation shall be published one time in a newspaper having a general circulation in the
City, which Proclamation shall advise that the results as proclaimed shall be conclusive unless attacked in the courts within thirty days after the date of publication.
Section 5. A copy of this Ordinance shall be filed with the Craighead County Clerk at least 60 days prior to the election date. A copy of this Ordinance shall also be given to the
Craighead County Board of Election Commissioners so that the necessary election officials and supplies may be provided. A certified copy of this Ordinance and the Tax Ordinance shall
also be provided to the Commissioner of Revenues of the State of Arkansas as soon as practical.
Section 6. The Mayor and City Clerk, for and on behalf of the City, are hereby authorized and directed to do any and all things necessary to call and hold the special election as
herein provided and, if the levy of the Sales and Use Tax is approved by the electors, to cause the Sales and Use Tax to be collected, and to perform all acts of whatever nature necessary
to carry out the authority conferred by this Ordinance.
Section 7. The provisions of this Ordinance are hereby declared to be separable and if any provision shall for any reason be held illegal or invalid, such holding shall not affect
the validity of the remainder of this Ordinance.
Section 8. All ordinances and parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby repealed to the extent of such conflict.