Residents discuss potential library tax increase

JONESBORO, Arkansas (KAIT) – The Craighead County Public Library’s tax rate is once again on the November 2024 ballot.

Voters will have the chance to decide in 2022 whether they want to increase the tax, which was reduced to one mill, back to two.

Dean MacDonald Jr., one of the people behind the petition, said he and others who support the library felt the effects two years ago.

“Thirteen good people were laid off after that vote,” MacDonald said. “If you’re worried about programming for kids to read right now, all the good stuff they do after school. There’s hardly any money left for that.”

Craighead County resident Paul Nunis also said he wants the tax to be increased.

“They have implemented a lot of good programs and when the cuts were made they may have had to pull back some of those and I would like to see that come back,” Nunis said.

Another local resident, TR Bandy, thinks there is no need for a raise.

“You can support the library without raising the national tax. The national tax was first reduced for two reasons,” Bandy said. “One, the library had a large surplus.”

Bandy said the other reason is the tax increase. He thinks there are other ways the library can operate and sustain itself.

“There’s no reason to raise the tax, there’s no reason the library can’t pull money from reserve funds when needed, so I’m against the tax, it’s an excessive tax that we don’t need,” Bandy said.

“The so-called tax credit was exactly twenty dollars and fifty cents a year for the average Craighead County citizen. That’s not a significant tax credit,” MacDonald said. “If twenty dollars and fifty cents a year is enough to fully fund this library, keep it fully staffed and open seven days a week, I’ll gladly pay it.”

Craighead County Tax Office officials told KAIT that if the increase becomes law, a person who owns a home valued at $100,000 would pay only $20 a year.

In 2022, Vote to reduce It passed with a narrower margin in the city than in the district.

“I know my taxes are going to the greater good. And that’s how I feel about taxes,” Nunis said, “The whole society is going to do better and share more if they have those kinds of resources.”

Library Director Vanessa Adams said, “The library did not initiate the ballot issue to restore our funding. However, we appreciate the community support. A restoration in our budget will help us better plan for the future.”

This petition was prepared entirely under the leadership of citizens and will be left to the voters to decide in the 2024 elections.

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