JASPER, Ark. (AP) - Voters in Newton County will consider a sales tax increase to help fund salaries for sheriff’s deputies, which are among the lowest in the state.
A special election is planned for Feb. 14 asking voters to approve a 1 percent sales and use tax to fund public safety. The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reports (https://bit.ly/2iEqe8P ) that revenue from the proposed tax would pay for operations at the county jail and the sheriff’s office, including pay raises.
Officials say the starting salary now for a full-time deputy is about $21,260 per year.
In 2008, Newton County voters approved a tax increase to build a jail, but voters twice rejected another tax to fund its operations. Officials say the county accepts inmates from other parts of the state to fund jail operations.
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Information from: Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, https://www.arkansasonline.com
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