Woodlawn Voters Approve 2-Mill Tax Increase

RISON - Voters in the Woodlawn School District approved a 2-mill tax increase by an unofficial vote of 192-174 (52 percent) Tuesday to provide funding that will support construction of a new career education center as well as expand the school cafeteria.Also, board member Larry Reynolds was easily re-elected in a three-way race for his seat on the five-member Woodlawn School Board. David White, one of the candidates, dropped out of the race before the election, but his name remained on the ballot. The final, but unofficial, totals were Reynolds 284 (79 percent), Trevaughn Moore (17 percent) and White 15 (4 percent).All seats on the Woodlawn School Board are elected at-large, which means every voter in the district can vote in each school board race.A total of 368 ballots were cast in the school election out of 1,696 registered voters in the Woodlawn School District, equating to a 21.7 percent voter turnout.Passage of the additional 2-mills will increase Woodlawn’s overall millage rate from 37 to 39 mills. The tax will be applied this year’s real and personal property taxes of those residents living within the Woodlawn School District. That means residents will see the additional taxes on next year’s tax statement. The 2-mill tax increase will cost someone with an assessed property value of $100,000 about $40 more per year; a $200,000 property value about $80 more per year; and a $300,000 value about $120 more per year.In addition to the tax increase, the question put before voters also included restructuring the school district’s existing debt.  Jason Holsclaw of Stephens, Inc., the district’s financial adviser, said restructuring the debt and adding 2 mills would generate $3.85 million for the district.Superintendent Dr. Kevin Hancock said the additional revenue would be combined with state partnership money to fund construction of a new 9,891 square foot career education center and 3,453 squar...