ORDINANCE NO. 2008-7
BE IT ENACTED BY THE QUORUM COURT OF THE COUNTY OF CLEVELAND, STATE OF ARKANSAS,
AN ORDINANCE TO BE ENTITLED:
AN ORDINANCE CALLING A SPECIAL ELECTION IN CLEVELAND COUNTY, ARKANSAS ON THE
QUESTION OF LEVYING A COUNTY-WIDE THREE-FOURTHS OF ONE PERCENT (0.75%) SALES AND
USE TAX; AND PRESCRIBING OTHER MATTERS PERTAINING THERETO.
WHEREAS, the Quorum Court of Cleveland County, Arkansas (the “County”) has
passed on February 4, 2008, Ordinance No. 2008-6 (the “Tax Ordinance”) providing
for the levy of a 0.75% sales and use tax within the County (the “Sales and Use
Tax”); and
WHEREAS, the purpose of this Ordinance is to call a special election on the
question of the levy of the Sales and Use Tax;
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT ORDAINED by the Quorum Court of Cleveland County,
Arkansas:
Article 1. There is hereby called, a special election to be held on May 20,
2008, at which election there shall be submitted to the electors of the County
the question of the levy of the Sales and Use Tax.
Article 2. The question of levying the Sales and Use Tax shall be placed on the
ballot for the election in substantially the following form:
0.75% SALES AND USE TAX FOR JAIL AND CRIMINAL JUSTICE PURPOSES
Vote FOR or AGAINST adoption of a 0.75% local sales and use tax within Cleveland
County, the net collections of which remaining after deduction of the
administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates, will be
distributed only to the County and used for one or more of the following: (a) to
acquire, construct, improve, expand, equip, furnish, operate and maintain new or
existing jail and criminal justice facilities and facilities related thereto or
in support thereof, (b) to pay and secure the repayment of bonds issued by the
County from time to time and approved by the voters to finance jail and criminal
justice facilities and facilities related thereto or in support thereof and (c)
for other criminal justice purposes.
If the tax is approved, the net collections of the tax after deduction of the
administrative charges of the State of Arkansas and required rebates will be
used by the County solely for the purposes set forth above. The levy of the tax
is not dependent on any bonds being approved or issued.
FOR . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
AGAINST . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
Article 3. The election shall be held and conducted and the vote canvassed and
the results declared under the law and in the manner now provided for county
elections and only qualified voters of the County shall have the right to vote
at the election.
Article 4. The results of the election shall be proclaimed by the County Court,
and the Proclamation shall be published one time in a newspaper published in the
County and having a general circulation therein, which Proclamation shall advise
that the results as proclaimed shall be conclusive unless attacked in the courts
within thirty days after the date of publication.
Article 5. A copy of this Ordinance shall be given to the Cleveland County Board
of Election Commissioners so that the necessary election officials and supplies
may be provided. A certified copy of this Ordinance and the Tax Ordinance shall
also be provided to the Commissioner of Revenues of the State of Arkansas as
soon as practical.
Article 6. The County Judge and County Clerk, for and on behalf of the County,
are hereby authorized and directed to do any and all things necessary to call
and hold the special election as herein provided and, if the levy of the Sales
and Use Tax is approved by the electors, to cause the Sales and Use Tax to be
collected, and to perform all acts of whatever nature necessary to carry out the
authority conferred by this Ordinance.
Article 7. All ordinances and parts thereof in conflict herewith are hereby
repealed to the extent of such conflict.
Article 8. The provisions of this Ordinance are separable and if an article,
phrase or provision shall be declared invalid, such declaration shall not affect
the validity of the remainder of the Ordinance.
PASSED: February 4, 2008.
APPROVED: Gary Spears, County Judge
ATTEST: Sharon Gray, County Clerk