As the Baxter County Quorum Court prepares to consider raising the taxing rate for personal and real property by 2 mills Tuesday evening, Judge Mickey Pendergrass says delayed projects are a factor in the proposal.Projects are pushing the increase, as well as ongoing reoccurring costs with healthcare, voter mandated minimum wage increases and federal adjustments to the Fair Labor Standards Act.The tax proposal is part of an appropriation ordinance the quorum court will consider when it levies millage rates for 2019 to be collected in 2020. The ordinance covers rates for cities, school districts, fire districts, improvement districts and the county, including the library and Arkansas State University-Mountain Home. All other proposed taxing rates remain at their current levels.
Pendergrass points specifically to one large project delayed as a result of a lack of funding.
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Pendergrass says he inherited a $650,000 state grant in 2013 intended for a new health unit.
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Pendergrass says if local funding becomes available, the health unit project can be revisited. To do so will mean the county will have to reapply for state grant funds.
In addition to consideration of an increase in the millage rate, the quorum court will act on six other items of business, including the third reading of an ordinance adopting revisions and additions to the personnel policy manual dated February 2019.
The quorum court will meet at 6 Tuesday evening in the courtroom of the Baxter County Courthouse.
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