LONOKE, Ark. (KTHV) - Thousands of people went to the polls Monday to cast their ballots for the 2018 midterm elections. Voters in Lonoke County must decide whether to raise their sales tax rate in the name of public safety.
On the ballot is a tax increase to support schools throughout the county the Lonoke County Sheriff’s Office, and the county justice center.
“I can’t advocate for this in my official capacity, but I can educate,” Sheriff John Staley said, “and this proposal that we’re gonna educate the folks on is very important. It’s needed.”
The tax increase would be one cent for the first four years, and a quarter of a cent for every year after that. The tax is estimated to generate $32.4 million during the first four years, and approximately $2.25 million per year in years five and beyond.
Staley said the most immediate result of the tax increase would be to hire more deputies, give raises, and buy equipment. Some of the deputies would join the patrol division, but at least 16 would become school resource officers.
Staley said at least two deputies would be assigned to each school district within the county, with additional manpower assigned to larger districts.
“This—in my opinion—would help countywide,” Staley said, “because it would be unified and the same procedures around the county, of ‘hey, this happened in the county, we’ve already got the process going.”
Currently, the school districts in Lonoke County partner with their cities’ police departments. But Staley says that leaves a gap that has not been addressed before.
“I would like to work with these cities and with their school resource officers to provide that service,” he said. “School districts reach outside the city limits. A lot of these issues that we have, a deputy could go with the school administrator and reach out to these families and investigate crimes that happen outside of city limits.”
Staley added that providing deputies may allow school districts to spend less of their own money on security.
He also wants to provide raises too many of the employees in the sheriff’s office. He mentioned that the beginning salary for jailers in Lonoke is $21,000 and that it is roughly 50 percent higher in Pulaski County.
“We’ve got quality individuals that work with us, but they leave,” Staley said. “They can do the same job for quite a bit more money at agencies really close by.”
According to documents Staley provided, only a portion of the money raised in the first few years would be spent. Approximately $12 million would be spent in the third year to build a new justice center. Staley said the current courthouse only has one courtroom, so adding more space would allow more cases to proceed. A modern courthouse would provide safer spaces for victims and allow for central air and modern wiring.
“Of course, being 90 years old, it served a population of about one-third what we are today,” Staley said, “and running internet and stuff into that old courthouse, it’s always been an issue.”
Staley acknowledged that many people oppose the idea of raising taxes. He said lots of voters have called his office to ask about the tax increase but claimed most have seen the need as he does after discussing the options.
“And a lot of them that communicate with us, they ask the questions about, ‘why do we need a courthouse? Why do we—we want to help the Sheriff’s Office, why do we need a courthouse?’ And I explain what I just explained to you, and they’re like, ‘well, that makes sense.’”
Part of the tax will also cover raises in the sheriff’s office. Staley mentioned that jailers can make 50-percent more money taking the same job in Pulaski County.