HASKELL — The Harmony Grove School District in this rural Saline County town wants to raise property taxes to start a football program.
For the second time since September, the district is asking voters to approve a tax increase to fund a $1 million football stadium and to pay for gear.
The district, which has about 850 students at its three schools, already offers baseball, softball, basketball and other sports. Soccer is to start next year.
But there's nothing like Friday night lights, some parents say.
"It's better to have them insports and keep them off the streets," said Cecilia Doughty, a mother of four, including two boys who are "already fired up."
The district plans to start with a program for fifth- through eighth-graders and then expand it over the years to high school teams.
The stadium would be built behind the field house on thedistrict's 26-acre property that sits along Arkansas 229 south of Benton.
It's one of two districts in Saline County seeking property tax increases in elections Tuesday. Benton is asking for a rate increase to fund $35 million in renovations.
The proposed 2.3 millage increase for Harmony Grove would raise the rate to 41.7 mills,meaning the owner of a home appraised at $100,000 would pay an additional $46 a year in property taxes.
School officials say the assistant basketball coach would take over football duties and continue to teach physical education and health. They also say the increased property tax revenue would cover costs of the programfor the foreseeable future.
Dr. Ben Mays, a state Board of Education member, says that's a dubious claim.
He says football programs typically end up costing more than districts anticipate, and they don't boost academics the way supporters claim.
He said he'd rather see the district increase the millage to provide more teachers in kindergarten through third grade. Research shows that a lowerteacher-student ratio improves academic achievement, he said.
Mays said he's glad that Harmony Grove is asking voters to approve funding, rather than just allocating money, whereas other districts have typically moved ahead with athletics without seeking a specific tax increase.
"At least the voters are making that choice," he said.
Harmony Grove School Board President Norman Caldwell said the district has grown large enough that it should have a football program. He said that despite gains in enrollment, the district is still losing students because it doesn't offer football.
"We feel like football will bring more students in," he said.
He said he is comfortable with the ratio of pupils to teachers, which he estimates is 20-to-1 at the elementary school.
The same proposal was defeated in September 262 votes to 244 votes.
Superintendent Daniel Henley said now is a good time to focus on a football program since facilities are adequate.
"Friday night football is a big deal. I think it would be good for the community," he said.
Arkansas, Pages 17, 18 on 03/09/2008