By SARAH CAMPBELL
Leader staff writer
Jacksonville Education Corps will kick off the campaign in support of the upcoming millage election at 6 p.m. Tuesday at the community center. The meeting will be open to the public.
Renderings of the new high school will be unveiled for the first time.
If Jacksonville-North Pulaski School District patrons pass a 7.6-mill increase on Feb. 9 to build a new $60 million high school and fund other capital projects, they’ll be paying that rate on houses and personal property, such as cars and boats. Business owners will also pay it for equipment that is taxed.
For the owner of a $100,000 home, the proposed hike would cost another $152 a year.
Millage is not based on appraised or fair market values, but on assessed values. The assessed value of a house or personal property is 20 percent of what the house or personal property is worth.
An increase of 7.6 mills equates to $76 for every $10,000 in assessed value, or 76 cents for every $100 in assessed value.
The Kelly Blue Book website reported on Sept. 1 that the average transaction price for a new car was $33,543. Keep in mind that, once driven off the lot, a new car’s value typically depreciates to an amount lower than its purchase price.
But here’s how the millage formula works using that purchase price value:
• Multiply $33,543 by 0.2 to get the 20 percent figure. The result is the car’s assessed value of about $6,709.
• To make things easier, round the assessed value to the nearest amount divisible by $100. In this case, that’s $6,700.
• Now, divide that by $100. The result is 67.
• Multiply the 67 by 76 cents. The result of that final calculation is the approximate cost, $50.92, of the millage increase.
So, the owner of a car worth $33,543 would pay about $50 more every year if voters approve the 7.6-mill hike.
To find out how much more you would pay if voters pass this measure, replace the $33,543 with the value of your own car/boat/other property. Or skip the first step if you’ve already had property assessed and know what that value is.
The deadline to have property assessed without a penalty added in May 31 of each year. After May 31, the penalty increases the assessed value. and that makes your personal property tax bill higher.
The special election on the millage increase is set for 7:30 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 9.
Registration deadlines are Jan. 10 for new and out-of-state voters or Feb. 5 for those transferring their information from another county.
Early voting will be 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2 through Monday, Feb. 8 at the Pulaski County Regional Building, 501 W. Markham St. in Little Rock.
Polling sites will not be open over that weekend.
Early voting will also be 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 2 through Friday, Feb. 5 at the Jacksonville Community Center, 5 Municipal Drive.
On Election Day, polls will be open at the following locations:
• Bayou Meto Baptist Church, 26200 Hwy. 107 (for Precincts 26 and 28);
• McArthur Assembly of God Church, 3501 John Harden Drive (for Precinct 27);
• Jacksonville Community Center (for Precincts 29, 30, 32, 33 and 44);
• St. Jude the Apostle Catholic Church, 2403 McArthur Drive (for Precinct 34);
• St. Stephens Episcopal Church, 2413 Northeaster Ave. (for Precinct 35);
• First Presbyterian Church, 1208 W. Main St. (for Precinct 36);
• First Baptist Church, 401 N. First St. (for Precinct 37);
• Jacksonville Senior Center, 100 Victory Circle (for Precincts 38 and 45); and
• Berea Baptist Church, 104 E. Valentine Road (for Precincts 46, 47 and 48).
The last on the list is the designated polling place for JNPSD voters living in Lonoke County.
Also, the increase would bring the total school tax levied to 48.3 mills if voters approve it.
