Saturday 3 February 2024 21:46:27 1707018387


Couple of friends in Paragould (I lived there for quite a few years) said that's funny.  Not a joke man. 

Let's see what the local news folks have today. 

Seems in Paragould they had a talk about more taxes in Paragould.  Maybe someone should suggest less taxes, wonder how that would be received.  How can anyone not want to pay less in taxes?  How can any bureaucrat not want people to pay more taxes? 

They want .75% for 'first responders', and who can say no to that?  Like being against something for the children.  Or the local hospital.  Give us the money or you or the ones you love will not be safe or have access to health care of the children will not be properly educated. 

Sales tax in Paragould is now 8.625%.  You know there has been some resistance when they're getting into three decimal places.  For many years (we old folks remember) the Arkansas sales tax was 3%.  There was no municipal or county sales tax.  OK, let's break down the Paragould tax:

State of Arkansas 6.50%
County 1.375%
City 0.75%
Total Sales Tax 8.625%

Actually you folks in Paragould aren't doing so bad, Wynne has a tax rate of 10.5%.  Three percent is local (2% city and 1% county) but I'll examine that later.  Jonesboro tax is 8.5.  I have to drive through Wynne to get to Jonesboro and Paragould but believe me if I'm going to be dropping a few hundred bucks on a shopping trip it won't be in Wynne.  Not that they have a Lowes or Harbor Freight (they do have a Tractor Supply) but while I'm in Jonesboro nce or twice a week I might as well buy groceries as well. 

I noticed the folks in Cross County did defeat yet another money grab by the schools.  They had a special election in August so there wouldn't be as many people voting.  Usually they can count on not enough people knowing about it to get it passed, but this time the opposition was mobilized and thrashed them good.  Now if they'll just do away with the hospital tax. 

They're going to try the same thing in Paragould in March.  If you want a 10% tax let them keep getting away with it and before long you'll have it.  And that tax restructuring for the schools, check into what they plan to spend that money for.  Arkansas may be on the low end where squandering taxpayer money on schools goes but even at 12K annually per student it's too much. 

BTW, how are those Tesla police cars doing?



The Jonesboro paper didn't have much, still got the same basketball pictures up.  Okey-dokey.