FAYETTEVILLE (KFSM) — Today's special election in Fayetteville will decide whether an expiring one-percent sales tax will be replaced by another one-percent sales tax, allowing it to fund bonds for street, trail and drainage improvements and a proposed arts corridor.
Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. this morning to 7:30 p.m. tonight (April 9).
The replacement means residents will continue to pay the same amount in sales tax.
Washington County Election Coordinator Jennifer Price said there has been about 10 percent who have turned out to vote so far in early voting. That equals about 1,700 votes cast so far.
Ten questions will appear on the ballot, allowing voters to choose what the bond money would be used to fund if it passes. The questions cover allotment for streets, trails and the sewer system.
Another question will decide whether to fund a proposed arts corridor downtown that would include renovations to Dickson Street and surrounding areas to create civic and performance space, art installations, overlooks, pavilions and parking improvements.
The last two questions would provide funds to improve the aging police and firefighter facilities in the area.
One voter said she was looking forward to improvements in the parks, which would be covered by the bonds paid for through the special election.
"A renovation on Pump Station Dam, and if you have been down there — I was down there yesterday — it's a hot mess," said Olivia Trimble. "It used to be a functional dam, and now it's just slabs of concrete. There was a TV floating in the water yesterday...it's awful. So that piece I'm excited about — having that part of south Fayetteville activated."
More information and samples of the ballot and ballot questions are available here.
Fayetteville voters can cast their ballots at any of the polling places:
- Central United Methodist Church, 6 W. Dickson St.
- Covenant Church, 451 W. Wedington Dr.
- Sang Avenue Baptist Church, 1425 N. Sang Ave.
- Sequoyah Methodist Church, 1910 Old Wire Road
- Shiloh Community Church, 4262 W. Mount Comfort Road
- Trinity Fellowship, 1100 Rolling Hills Drive