LITTLE ROCK — Two sales tax proposals in Saline County failed Tuesday night, putting an end to plans to expand 911 operations and implement an animal control program.
With all precincts - and early and absentee votes counted - unofficial results were:
One-eighth percent sales and use tax for animal control
For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .14,447
Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .28,363
One-eighth percent sales and use tax for 911 operations
For. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18,423
Against . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 24,090
County officials estimated that together the taxes would have brought in over $2 million in revenue.
Saline County Judge Lanny Fite said it was no surprise to him that a tax increase would fail.
He noted that it took three tries to get a temporary sales tax to build the new jail.
Now, the county is one of two in the state with no county-imposed sales tax.
"I just believe for the people of Saline County, it's hard for them to vote for a sales tax," he said.
The revenue from the 911 sales tax was to be used to build a larger 911 center, hire more dispatchers, offer pay raises and provide training so staff could offer emergency medical advice while callers waited for first responders.
Supporters argued the county needed to consolidate 911 operations with Benton and Bryant to improve efficiency, though Bryant had not signed on to the plan.
Fite said he thinks with more voter education a sales tax for that initiative could prevail in the future.
The plan to fund animal control through sales taxes came after residents made vocal pleas to county officials to offer the service.
They complained of packs of wild dogs and abandoned boxes of puppies.
Bryant, Benton and Haskell already have animal-control services but don't offer them in the unincorporated part of the county, leaving residents few options when they find a hurt or abandoned animal.
County officials had found no other way to pay for such a program.
Front Section, Pages 10 on 11/05/2008