By Patty MacDonald, January 26, 2022
I have long thought of our Hot Springs Village POA monthly assessment as a TAX that supports my community. True, it is not an ad valorem tax, like property or sales taxes, which means it is not based on the value of the underlying object being taxed. (Our POA will dispute my definition vehemently on the grounds that since the Village is not incorporated, it cannot impose a tax.) Nevertheless, I have to pay that bill or face consequences.
Before the recent increase from $69 to $90 in our monthly fee assessments, we were all paying $830 a year to support Hot Springs Village. Those fees paid our POA staff, the firemen/police plus their equipment and gate security, water and sewer treatment plants, bonded debt, streets, 9 golf courses, and 8 lakes, as well as an auditorium and other amenities for a population of about 15,000 Villagers. (I have omitted the $45 fee on unimproved lots because there was too much variance for me to wrap my head around.)
Since 2007 the millage rate for Fountain Lake School District has been 34.8 mills. The calculation for property taxes is appraised value X .20 = assessed value X millage rate = tax owed. Example: If your home is appraised at $250,000 X .20 = $50,000 assessed value X 34.8 mills = $1,740 per year. For years we have been paying almost 50% more taxes to Fountain Lake School District annually than we have paid in POA assessments, which support our entire Village maintenance and operations!
This ballot is asking us to increase our millage rate by 5 mills to 39.8 mills. If it passes, that same $250,000 house will pay an increase of $250 more in school taxes every year for the next 30 years. Everyone will pay more, including those whose tax bills are otherwise frozen. We agree that schools cost money, but maintaining our quality of life and our investments in Hot Springs Village have created the money machine that feeds FLSD and Jessieville schools. Vote NO! to higher FLSD taxes.
✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺
Three Ways to Cast Your Vote
The three voting options for the proposed 5 mill increase are (1) regular Special Election Voting, (2) Absentee Voting, and (3) Early Voting.
***There will be no polling places inside the Village Gates.***
(1) Special Election Voting
Regular Special Election Voting is on February 8, 2022. There are three voting locations where FLSD Villagers can cast their votes on February 8. Polls are open from 7:30 a.m. until 7:30 p.m at all locations.
- FLSD Campus
- Community Baptist Church, Hwy. 7 N.
- USA Self-Storage, (Old Cranfords), in the East Gate Plaza
(2) Absentee Voting
Click here to download an application for a Saline County absentee ballot. Click here to download an application for a Garland County absentee ballot.
For more information you can call:
- Garland County taxpayers in FLSD contact County Clerk – 501-622-3610
- Saline County taxpayers in FLSD contact County Clerk – 501-303-5630
Click here to check your voter registration information – confirm your address, party association, ballot status, and polling place locations.
(3) Early Voting
Early voting is:
- Garland County Election Commission Office at 649 A Ouachita Avenue, Hot Springs, February 1-7, 2022, (closed Saturday & Sunday) from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
- Community Baptist Church, Hwy. 7 N. February 1st-4th, and 7th, from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Questions? Email NoFLSDmillageincrease@mail.com
✺ ✺ ✺ ✺ ✺
Thank you for reading. If you like, please comment below; we love to hear your opinion. Thank you for keeping the comments polite and on topic. Please use your real name. If you are an HSV Property Owner, please join us in our private Facebook Group. Click here to join the group. If you would like to submit an article for publication, please contact us through this website. Be sure to bookmark this website.
Jane
01/26/2022 — 9:28 pm
Was there a FLSD millage increase that passed at the last election? It seems to me that there was a special election, that didn’t pass but then on the general ballot that millage increase passed?
Patty MacDonald
01/27/2022 — 11:40 am
Jane, The current millage of 34.8 has been in effect since it was agreed upon by all parties during arbitration that settled the Barker v Fountain Lake School District lawsuit in 2007. This does not mean that FLSD has not had a “raise” in the past 14 years. (Remember, millage is just a multiplier. ) In our case the appraised values in the tax forumla have risen each year as home sales have increased. This past year (2021) home prices in the Village rose exponentially. Saline and Garland counties have each reappraised their real estate upward to reflect those sales, which will result in more dollars for both FLSD and Jessieville–without a hike in their millage rates. Villagers’ new home values should be available in March. Fortunately for thoses age 65 or disabled who have applied, taxes owed on their principal residence are frozen. There is a loophole in this homestead law, however: if we voters approve FLSD’s 5-mill increase, every property owner in FLSD will get a higher tax bill. There is no freeze on voter approved millage increases. Vote NO! on Feb. 8.
Kirk Denger
01/26/2022 — 10:05 pm
“We all agree that schools cost money”, and the money that we are already paying fountain Lake school district makes it one of the wealthiest school districts in the state of Arkansas, without raising taxes. Zero growth in student population in the last 7 years. Cafeteria is operating at half capacity due to Covid not overcrowding. A vote for new FL baseball fields, is a vote to close the north Garland County youth center Boys and Girls club, that is owned by Fountain Lake School.
The school Board should tell the whole truth and nothing but the truth.
If you want a special election, have one to elect honest school board members.
Tom Blakeman
01/27/2022 — 11:50 am
Some questions:
1. Is it the FLSD School Board that decides whether or not to have an election to increase millage, i.e. taxes, or someone else?
2. Assuming it is the Board, is an only five (5) person Board sufficient in size to adequately debate, review, vette and approve such an action? Or, any action for that matter?
Patty MacDonald
01/28/2022 — 5:38 pm
Jane, You asked a complex question to which I gave a correct but incomplete reply. There is a long and involved history with Fountain Lake School District which started in the 1990’s and was not resolved until 2007. The issues involved are too numerous and complex for a simple explanation, but the key points are these: in 2003 the millage rate at FLSD was 30.25, where it remained even though an election increased it to 37.80 mills. This new rate was challenged as unconstitutional by the taxpayer lawsuit. Revenue from a portion of those disputed mills (7.55 mills) was held in an escrow account until settlement in 2007. During those years the district received the revenue from only 30.25 mills. All parties settled on a millage rate of 34.9 mills and the escrow fund of $1.6 million was disbursed. In that same year 34.9 mills was approved by voters. Subsequently, that was lowered to 34.8 mills because of an Amendment 59 rollback requirement. In 2019 a ballot request for an additional 4 mills was defeated by district taxpayers. Thus, FLSD’s millage rate has been stable since 2007 but its revenue has increased annually because of its broadening tax base from new construction and higher home values here in HSV. Patty MacDonald
Bob McCleskey
01/29/2022 — 11:26 am
Tom, the answer to your question is the Superintendent recommends but the board (5 members) must vote to approve placing the recommended 5 mills increase on the ballot. An interesting side note is FL and most school districts use “Special Elections” which they do to increase the voting power of the school staff and supporters. Special Elections always have a lower turnout than regular elections. Several years ago, a state statute gave school districts the option of keeping their school election in Sept or moving it to the same date as the General election in November. FL also opted to retain their regular election in September rather than move to the November date for general elections for the same reason.
Concerning the size of the board, I am of the opinion it doesn’t matter, so long at the taxpaying voters have the last say on the requested increase, they are protected.
Michael R Shannon
01/30/2022 — 6:54 am
Typically people who want a tax increase passed put it on the ballot during the general election because it attracts more voters. The lower number of voters in a special election means those with the most motivation usually control the results. In this instance, those who don’t want to pay higher taxes have the most motivation.
I think putting the question on the ballot for a special election is not evidence of some dark conspiracy, but is rather another example of school board incompetence.
They can’t even pick a date than enhances the chance of the increase passing.
Tom Blakeman
01/30/2022 — 7:37 am
Bob, thanks. I hear you about the voters. But consider that if the staff and board set out on a mission they are able to commit serious funds (taxpayer money) to promote it in they eyes and minds of the voters. Usually there is no cohesiveness and source of funds in the voter base to adequately counter such a mass advertising push. We’re there a larger board complement, say 11, it would be more difficult to obtain a majority to bless such endeavors and push it onto the voters. And it’s not just raising millage either. Think about major purchase approvals, text book and curriculum issues and so forth which a board decides.
BTW, we have the exact same problem here in HSV with our Board.