WARREN, Ark. – The Bradley County Quorum Court convened in a special meeting Thursday evening to finalize two sales-tax proposals that will go before voters in a Nov. 18 special election and could finance a new county jail and communications center.
All justices of the peace were present except one, alongside County Judge Klay McKinney and County Clerk Karen Belin. At Judge McKinney’s request, the court first rescinded its earlier endorsement of a 1.875 percent bond tax and unanimously voted to move toward a different proposal.
Ryan Bowman of the Friday Law Firm, outlined the ballot questions:
- Permanent 0.625 percent county sales and use tax – Revenues would be restricted to jail operations, law-enforcement needs, and other county purposes.
- Temporary 1.0 percent sales and use tax (bond issue) – Dedicated solely to retiring construction bonds for the jail and communications center. This tax would expire once the bonds are repaid, which current estimates place at roughly 23 years.
Together, the measures are structured to fund a project capped at $19 million.. Judge McKinney said about $15 million would cover construction, with the balance set aside for furnishings and contingencies.
Bowman cautioned that both questions must pass for construction to proceed. Should voters approve the 0.625 percent tax without the 1 percent bond tax, the county would gain operating revenue but lack authority to issue bonds for construction. Conversely, approving only the 1 percent tax would authorize borrowing but leave the county without funds to operate the facility unless the court opts—by a two-thirds majority—not to issue the bonds.
“We’ve been dealing with this issue a long time,” Judge McKinney said, calling the package “the best chance we’ve had” to secure a county jail. He reiterated that the extra 1 percent tax will disappear once the debt is cleared—“in about 23 years.”
After the required three readings, justices voted 8-0 to advance both ordinances. Election officials will now prepare final ballot language for voters to decide on Nov. 18.
