The November 3rd election will ask Garland County voters to approve a 0.9-mill property-tax levy pledged to bonds of up to $34.8 million for library capital improvements.
Inspiring Minds,
One Book at a Time
The millage will build a stronger countywide library system, expanding access to library resources, programs, and services for residents throughout Garland County. By investing in a new main library and additional branches, the campaign will bring library services closer to more people while building capacity to serve the entire county for generations to come.
EARLY VOTING BEGINS OCTOBER 19th.
Visit the Garland County Election Commission website to check your registration, find polling locations, and learn more about all the issues on the ballot.
Your Questions,
Answered
There’s a lot to consider when our community is planning for the future, and we know voters have questions about the Library’s plans for new facilities, what they will mean for Garland County, and how the proposal will affect them. We’ve put together this easy-to-use guide to answer the questions we’re hearing most often and help you better understand the plan.
Want to learn more? Explore our FAQ for answers to the most common questions about the Library’s plans for the future.
Why is the Library building new locations?
Garland County Library currently serves more than 100,000 residents across 735 square miles from a single location.
The biggest challenge is accessibility. Many residents, especially families and children, live too far from the current library. Garland County is tied for last place in Arkansas for library locations per county and ranks near the bottom statewide in library space per capita. The facilities plan is designed to make library services more accessible to people throughout the county.
How much will this cost taxpayers?
The proposal would authorize a 0.9 mill bond issue.
Based on current average home values in Garland County, the estimated cost is about $3.70 per month for the average homeowner. However, the increase in Arkansas's homestead tax credit is expected to offset that amount for many homeowners, resulting in little or no net increase in property taxes.
Why can't the Library expand or renovate the current building instead?
The Library explored this option through a facilities assessment in 2021.
The assessment found that the current building already exceeds the size allowed for its construction type under building code. Expansion would require costly fire-separation measures or extensive structural work, potentially closing the Library for up to two years, while renovation would cost significantly more per square foot than new construction.
Even if expansion were feasible, it would not solve the accessibility challenge for residents who live farther from the current location.
BALLOT LANGUAGE
VOTE FOR or AGAINST the levy of a nine tenths of one (.9) mill ad valorem tax on the assessed value of all taxable real and personal property within the County of Garland, Arkansas, with the nine tenths of one (.9) mill tax to be pledged as a continuing debt service tax to the repayment of an issue or issues of bonds not to exceed Thirty-Four Million Eight Hundred Thousand and NO/100 Dollars (34,800,000) in aggregate principal amount, to finance the acquiring, constructing and equipping of land and additional capital improvements for the public libraries owned and operated by the Garland County Library Board and to authorize the issuance of the bonds on such terms and conditions as shall be approved by the County.
FOR TAX LEVY
AGAINST TAX LEVY
Get Involved,
Stay in Touch
Building a stronger library system for all of Garland County will take support and engagement from people across our community.
We need your help to share the story, stay connected, and spread the word about Our Libraries, Our Future.
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