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Tontitown Voters Approve Sales Tax Increase To Fund Waterline

TONTITOWN (KFSM) — Tontitown voters approved a sales tax increase to fund construction of a waterline during a special election on Tuesday (July 11). City...
water

TONTITOWN (KFSM) — Tontitown voters approved a sales tax increase to fund construction of a waterline during a special election on Tuesday (July 11).

City leaders took this question before voters, citing it as the best way method for levying a tax because it would put more of the burden on people outside of town over residents. Jennifer Price, coordinator for the Washington County election commission said 143 voted for the increase and 56 against.

The 0.75 percent increase will raise the current sales tax from 9.75 to 10.5 percent.

The city asked for the tax increase to build a waterline with will connect Tontitown to the Benton Washington Regional Water Authority.

Currently, the city gets its water from Springdale, and recent negotiations between the two cities put strict limitations on the amount of water Tontitown can buy without seeing a penalty, said James Clark, public works director for Tontitown.

The sales tax is expected to cover the projected $7.5 million dollars cost of the waterline and Clark said the tax increase will go away once the project has been paid.

Clark said the fee increase is not related to the construction project of a water tower, which is being funded by a loan from the USDA.

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