Voters approved a bond proposal and new 1% sales tax for Pea Ridge at a special election Tuesday, Sept. 14.
Of the 4,018 registered voters living inside the city limits, 463 cast votes.
Unofficial results from the Benton County Election Commission Tuesday night showed 243 votes for (52.48%) the sales tax to 220 votes (47.52%) against the sales tax, and 265 votes for (57.99%) the bond to 192 votes against (42.01%) the bond.
Early voting showed 25 for (37.31%) and 42 against (62.69%) for the sales tax and 28 for (42.42%) for and 38 against (57.58%) for the bonds.
Garfield early voting had 5 people vote for the continuation of the tax.
The sales tax had to pass for the bond issue to happen.
Approximately one-fourth of the proposed sales tax revenue is scheduled to make payments on the bond. The remaining revenue is to be distributed between the city’s street, fire, police and parks departments.
Paving streets, improving drainage and building sidewalks are among the plans if voters approve the bond issue and 1-cent city sales tax. The bond is for a maximum of $5.8 million.
Voters in Garfield approved continuation of a half-cent sales tax for the water system in Tuesday.
Unofficial results from the Election Commission showed 44 votes (89.80%) for to 5 votes (10.20%) against. There are 391 registered voters in the Garfield town limits, according to Benton County Clerk’s office.
Garfield voters approved a half-cent sales tax to help fund its water system in March 2020. That tax is scheduled to sunset in March 2022. The vote Tuesday was to make the tax permanent.
Revenue from the tax would be used solely for the Water Department, which has one full-time and one part-time employee. The Garfield Water Department serves 269 customers.
The election results still need to be certified by the Election Commission.