Early Voting Under Way in Bentonville Millage Vote

The controversy regarding the Bentonville millage vote for a second high school heats up as the polls opened for early voting.

The 6.7 millage would build the second high school in Centerton for 2,000 students.

Those against the millage say the city doesn’t need more taxes, while those in favor  are calling an anonymous flyer sent through the mail misleading to voters.

The flyer states the cost for the second high school is $94 million and compares it to other schools in the region.

“You gotta look at when the school was built, what were the construction costs back then, what was the climate like,” said school board member Travis Riggs.

Riggs says there are other false numbers in the flyer.

“Our construction cost is estimated to be $160 per square foot, not $235 or some other number they are using,” he said.

Those on the other side, such as Bentonville mom Heather Wegner says she plans to vote “no” on the millage.

“I’m not against the people asking for it, but I’m against the actual increase,” she said.

Wegner says the district is asking for too much.

“I realize that a new high school is needed but not necessarily a new sports complex for $24 million,” she said.

She also says she doesn’t believe in all of the district’s numbers.

The actual real figure is about 11.5, 12.5 property tax increase and for some reason no one has given those plain facts,” she said.

Riggs says if the millage doesn’t pass, there’s the option of a split schedule. But if it passes the second high school is expected to open its doors in 2015. Early voting for the millage continues until election day, June 26.