Fort Smith will host three community meetings before the election on May 13, 2025, to help citizens learn more about the proposed Fort Smith Sales & Use Tax Ballot, which will address three measures regarding the city’s existing 2% sales and use tax.
The first will be held at the Main Branch of the Fort Smith Public Library on April 17. Arkansas Colleges of Health Education will host the second community meeting on April 28, and the Fort Smith Senior Activity Center will host the third on May 5. All the meetings start at 6 p.m.
Early voting begins on May 6. During past Board of Directors meetings, the city directors cited the need to reallocate the tax to the consent decree to request more time to complete the work. The EPA and the DOJ have given Fort Smith until 2027 to finish its obligations to the consent decree.
All the community meetings are open to the public.
Meeting Dates & Locations
Thursday, April 17 at 6 p.m. | Fort Smith Public Library — Main Branch — Community Room | 3201 Rogers Ave.
Monday, April 28 at 6 p.m. | Arkansas Colleges of Health Education — Large Conference Room | 7000 Chad Colley Blvd.
Monday, May 5 at 6 p.m. | Fort Smith Senior Activity Center | 2700 Cavanaugh Rd.
The Three Measures on the May 13 Ballot
1. Reauthorizing the 2022 3/4-cent Sales and Use Tax
1/8 cent would continue to fund the Fort Smith Police Department
5/8 cent would continue to be allocated to consent decree work (federally mandated sewer system improvements)
If approved, this reauthorization would be extended for the term required to pay off bonds, which is projected to be 34 years.
2. Reauthorizing and Reallocating the 1-cent Sales and Use Tax
Currently, this tax funds streets, bridges, and associated drainage.
Under the proposal, 3/8 cent would be reallocated to consent decree work and authorized to pay bonds, while the rest (5/8 cent) would continue to be used for streets, bridges, and associated drainage.
3. Bond Issuance
Issuing bonds on the combined amount from the reallocation (3/8-cent) and the reauthorization (5/8-cent)
The city would issue bonds to fund up to $360 million in consent decree and sewer capital improvement projects.
A sales and use tax is a tax imposed on the purchase of goods and certain services. Retailers collect sales tax at the point of sale, while use tax applies to out-of-state purchases when sales tax isn’t charged.
This article originally appeared on Fort Smith Times Record: Public meetings scheduled ahead of May 13 Fort Smith sales tax vote