JASPER — The Newton County Quorum Court postponed its monthly meeting due to county-wide flooding on Nov. 4 and rescheduled it for Tuesday morning at 10 o'clock at the courthouse. Three items were on the agenda.
The court approved the ordinance that levies taxes for the county's various taxing units for the upcoming year.
According to the University of Arkansas Public Policy Center: Cities, counties and school districts levy taxes on both
real and personal property. Property taxes are based on mills. All millage levies, except for city and county general funds and county road funds, must be approved by voters before taxes can be levied and collected. The county quorum court may approve millage levies for county general and road funds up to the maximum allowed. City governments may approve millage levies for the city general fund up to the maximum allowed.
A mill equals one-thousandth of a dollar (.001). Therefore, 10 mills = .01 and 50 mills = .05. A 50-mill property tax means you pay $50 for every $1,000 of assessed value.
There is a maximum constitutional limit on the number of mills that can be levied by cities and counties. There is no maximum limit on the number of mills that can be levied by school districts. However, school districts must levy a minimum 25-mill tax on real and personal property (Amendment 74). Remember that all millage levies, except for those noted, must first be approved by a vote of the people.
• Counties can levy up to 21 mills of property tax. They are: 5 mills, general government and 5 mills, bonded indebtedness; 5 mills Library (maintenance and operation) and 3 mills for capital improvements and construction; 3 mills, road.
• Cities can levy up to 20 mills of property tax. They are: 5 mills, general government, 5 mills, bonded indebtedness, 1 mill police pension and1 mill firemen’s pension.
• School districts must levy a minimum 25-mill property tax for maintenance and operation; there is no maximum levy. However, all school district millage changes must be approved by voters.
• The county quorum court takes formal action at its November meeting to formally levy the millage rates of school districts, cities and the county. There were no changes in any taxing units’ millage rates for 2025.
