The early and absentee vote has been tallied and it shows overwhelming approval for the two-part vote on a three-mill property tax for Little Rock city government to pay for streets and drainage, presented as two separate questions for approval of street and drainage bonds supported by the millage.
STREET BONDS
For 842
Against 228
DRAINAGE BONDS
For 831
Against 232
That’s almost 80 percent both ways. These election questions amount to continuation, actually a reduction of .3 mills, in a 3.3-mill property tax that has been in effect for years. It would have expired without reauthorization at this election. The city proposed the tax at a special election to avoid the larger numbers that vote at a general election so as to target likely tax supporters. There was scant organized opposition, though criticism came of a City Board plan to distribute the money equally throughout the city, despite the greater needs in some poorer parts of town,
Given the low turnout citywide, it is hard to believe that election day voting will reverse the trend in the early voting, but I’ll try to check in if something weird happens.
An ad hoc committee, Keep Building Little Rock’s Future, funded by business contributions paid for a campaign chaired by all but City Directors Ken Richardson and Erma Hendrix.
UPDATE: With 44 of 70 precincts reporting plus early and absentees at 9 p.m., the approval rating remains at 78 percent. I don’t think I’ll stay up for the conclusion. Follow it at votepulaski.net