What's on the Ballot?

A vote to refund, or refinance, existing bonded debt, and to issue new bonds for construction projects, all without raising the current millage rate paid by Pulaski County taxpayers. The three existing bonds will be paid off, and the remaining revenue from the newly approved, or proposed, bond issuance will be used to fund various building projects. The final maturity date is February 1, 2048, which is the current expiration date of the District’s 14.8 debt service mills.

Who does it impact?

Students, staff and families will see improvements made during a 6-year Master Plan around the district, including:

1. Mills University Studies High School

2. Harris Elementary

3. College Station Elementary

4. Maumelle High School

5. Sylvan Hills High School

6. Joe T. Robinson High School

7. Baker Elementary

8. New NW Transportation Pound

9. District Lighting Upgrades

How long will it last?

Whereas the existing bonds mature between 2032 and 2035, the proposed bond will have a maturity date of 2048.

How will the money be used?

The proposed bond issuance is $130,425,000, maturing over a period of 26 years. The total outstanding debt to be refunded is $46.5 million. The total amount of revenue dedicated to the building/improvement fund is $80 million. The remaining funds will be used to pay for cost of issuance and escrow contingency.

Questions?

Please email any questions related to the November ballot initiative to communication@pcssd.org.

Sample Ballot Language

Download a sample of the official ballot.

Election day: November 2, 2021

Polls will be open from 7:30 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. on Election Day. The following precincts are eligible to vote in this election: 1-14, 19, 22, 24- 28, 31-32, 39-44, 57-50, 52-137.

You can look up your polling site by entering your address here through the Secretary of State's website.

Early voting: October 26 - November 1

• Main Site Early Voting

  • Pulaski County Regional Building, 501 W. Markham St., Little Rock

  • Tuesday, October 26 - Monday, November 1

  • Monday - Friday 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • No Saturday voting

• Offsite Early Voting

  • Dee Brown Library, 6325 Baseline Rd., Little Rock

  • Roosevelt Thompson Library, 38 Rahling Cir., Little Rock

  • Jess Odom Community Ctr, 1100 Edgewood Dr., Maumelle

  • First Christian Church of Sherwood, 2803 Kiehl Ave., Sherwood

  • Tuesday, October 26 - Friday, October 29

  • Monday - Friday 10:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

  • No Saturday voting

Voter Registration Requirements

• Be a U.S. citizen.

• Be an Arkansas resident.

• Be age 18 or turn 18 on or before the next election.

• Not be a convicted felon whose sentence has not been discharged or pardoned.

• Not be presently adjudged as mentally incompetent as to your ability to vote by a court of competent jurisdiction.

Voter Registration Information

Check your voter registration status.

If you need to register to vote, you can pick up applications from the Pulaski County Clerk’s Office, the Secretary of State Elections Division, the local revenue or DMV office, a public library, a disability agency, or a military recruitment office. Residents can also request an application be mailed to them. Or the forms can be printed from home in both English and Spanish.

Registration Deadline

NOTICE: the window to register for the November 2, 2021 election has passed (as of October 2, 2021). You must be registered no later than 30 days prior the election date.

• You must submit your application to an official voter registration agency or mail it no later than 30 days prior to an election in which you wish to vote. The postmark on a mail-in application will be considered the submission date.

• If you completed your application at a voter registration drive, the organizers must submit it to the county clerk or Secretary of State’s office within 21 days of the date on the application or no later than 30 days prior to the next election.

• If you submit your application close to an election registration deadline, you are strongly advised to follow up on your registration status with your county clerk before Election Day.

• If an election deadline is looming, there is one method of application that will ensure your eligibility: apply in person with your county clerk.

• If you have not received verification from your county clerk, be sure to confirm your registration BEFORE Election Day.

• If you have moved from one county to another within Arkansas, you must update this information with the county clerk no later than 4 days prior to Election Day via a Voter Registration Application.

For more information on provisional ballots, military voters, and more, visit the Arkansas Secretary of State’s website.

What are voters approving?

• Every year school districts require voter approval on their annual school mill tax.

• PCSSD is seeking approval of the annual 40.7 School Mill Tax.

• With an approval of the school mill tax, PCSSD will be able to restructure current bonds which will free up $80 million.

How will this vote impact the taxpayer?

• Without an increase to property tax rates, district schools (facilities) will be improved.

• As schools are improved, home values will increase.

What happens if the ballot measure doesn't pass?

• If the measure doesn't pass, the tax rate will remain the same.

• While the tax rate remains the same, without approval, the schools will not receive improvements and/or expansions.

How much money will taxpayers pay?

• Property taxes will remain the same whether the ballot measure passes or fails.

  Millage Rate Calculation Chart

What does it mean to "restructure" bonds?

• Restructure is used to mean the same thing as refinancing, or revising, bonds in order to save the District money in the long run. The money saved will be restructured, or reallocated, to fund infrastructure projects related to facilities improvements.