Clinton Library Blamed for
Sales Tax Defeat
Supporters of a one-cent sales tax increase that Little Rock, Arkansas, voters rejected by more than 2–1 May 25 attribute the defeat to the fact that a small portion of the revenue would have gone towards paying for the site for the Bill Clinton presidential library.
The increase would have funded $200 million in improvements to the city’s streets, parks, and zoo. The Associated Press reported that barely 4% of the money would have gone toward paying off the debt incurred buying land for the Clinton library.
The Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reported May 26 that the plan’s biggest problem was its perceived connection to a $16.4-million bond issue to purchase 27.7 acres for the proposed library. Mayor Jim Dailey said voters suspected the tax would be used to make up lost zoo and parks revenue that went to pay off the bond debt for the library. “That has been an issue used by opponents and an issue we had to continually address in every presentation we made,” Dailey said.
Posted May 31, 1999.
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