The city of Pine Bluff is once again facing the prospect of a new 10-year, 1% sales and use tax to address what proponents describe as critical and long-standing city needs.
Tuesday’s Ways & Means Committee meeting saw lively debate and varying opinions from council members regarding the necessity, timing, and oversight of such a measure. Members of the City Council met to discuss an ordinance that would allow a special election Nov. 18 on the proposed tax.
If approved, the tax would be effective April 1, 2026, through March 31, 2036.
The ordinance, however, was tabled. Presiding committee chairman Glen Brown Jr. said even without a positive recommendation, the legislation could still be placed on the full council’s agenda for consideration.
Independent reporting for Pine Bluff & Jefferson County since 1879.
Brown attended in person along with fellow committee members Steven Mays Sr. and Lloyd A. Holcomb Jr. Other council members attending in person were Bruce Lockett and LaTisha Brunson, while Lanette Frazier and William Fells attended via Zoom.
Purpose of the tax
A separate ordinance, also introduced, clarifies the intent behind the sales and use tax. It states that the city has a “demonstrated need for a temporary source of revenue to fund general purposes of City government.”
The proposed 1% tax is levied under the “Authorizing Legislation” (Title 26, Chapter 75, Subchapter 2 of the Arkansas Code of 1987 Annotated), which allows for various sales and use tax rates, including 1%.
To ensure transparency and accountability, a biennial forensic audit of the expenditures from tax collections will be conducted. The expense of these audits will be paid from the sales and use tax collections. These audits will be performed by an independent certified public accounting firm approved by the City Council.
The City Council and city clerk are authorized to take all necessary actions to call and hold the special election.
Proposed uses
Pine Bluff Mayor Vivian Flowers explained how the revenue generated would be allocated across several categories, each receiving 12.5% of the collected funds. Flowers, who was transparent while campaigning for mayor about supporting a tax, outlined these categories and their intended uses:
Transportation: “For the expansion and repair of the Port of Pine Bluff, railroad, and regional airport to improve transportation connectivity and product distribution, as well as support commerce and logistic health.” This includes infrastructural repairs, upgrades to tracks and signals, and improvements to growing system sidewalks.
Public works: Infrastructural upgrades and improvements to streets, broadband expansion, and sewer and stormwater system upgrades. Flowers emphasized, “What this means is filling potholes, not just in one area, not just with carryover funds. This means filling potholes and making sure that we treat our state streets with appropriate overlay throughout our city.”
Municipal capital improvements and equipment: Addressing deferred maintenance backlogs, upgrading technology and communication systems, and improving operational and capital sustainability. Flowers cited an example: “We still have elevators that need to be maintained and we have over $2 million of deferred maintenance repairs that we need to make just in City Hall.”
Public safety: Expanding law enforcement and ensuring proper resources for equipment and programming for animal control and the fire department.
Economic development: New capital improvement projects, entrepreneurship, and small business development.
Housing and blight eradication: Addressing the high cost of tearing down dilapidated houses and investing in more aggressive blight eradication.
Tourism development and promotion: Beautification of the city and support for the Convention Center and new hotel.
Youth and senior programs: Continuing and expanding academic enrichment programs, and restoring senior centers.
More details on consideration of the 1-cent tax to come Thursday.