Constitution of Arkansas (2025 publisher edition) — Amendment 18: TAX TO AID INDUSTRIES.

Publisher edition notice: This collection preserves the complete constitutional appendix of the Secretary of State’s 2025 Election Laws and Constitution compilation: its preamble, twenty original articles, schedule and 104 published amendments, including annotations and explicit repealed notices. Repealed notices remain historical publisher context. Later amendments have not been independently verified.

Amendment 18

AMEND. 18. TAX TO AID INDUSTRIES.
City tax. — It being most apparent that factories, industries and transportation facilities are
necessary for the development of a community and for the welfare of its inhabitants, a special tax
not exceeding five mills on the dollar of all taxable property in cities of the first class located in
counties now or hereafter having not less than one hundred five thousand population, in addition
to other taxes now provided by law, may be levied in such cities for the period that may be
provided by law, when petitioned for by ten per cent of the owners of real property in such city
and on consent of a majority of the electors of such city voting on the question.
The proceeds of such tax shall be expended by a board of three commissioners, each of whom
shall be taxpayer in such city, said commissioners, to serve for such term as may be provided by
law without compensation, except actual expenses. One of the commissioners shall be selected by
a majority of the judges of the Supreme Court, sitting as a board, one by a majority of the judges
of the Circuit, County and Chancery Courts of the county, sitting as a board, and one by a
majority of the banks and trust companies located in such city whose representatives shall sit as
a board. Where there are two such cities in such county and the tax herein provided for has been
voted in each, one board of commissioners may be appointed for both cities if a majority of the
boards having the appointive power deem best, and in that event a majority of the banks and
trust companies in both cities shall appoint one commissioner, and the proceeds of the tax shall
be expended for the benefit of both cities.
The proceeds of such tax may be expended as may be provided by law for the purpose of
securing the location of factories, industries, river transportation and facilities therefor within
and adjacent to such cities or other public purposes, exclusive of charities and those now within
the powers of said cities to perform, and expenditures may also be made for advertising such
cities and the State, or making secured loans to such factories and industries, or for any other
public purpose that may be provided by law, connected with securing the location of such factories
and industries and encouraging them.
The provisions of this amendment are separable, and if any should be held invalid the
remainder shall stand.
Publisher’s Notes. This amendment was proposed by
initiative petition and approved at the general election on
Nov. 6, 1928, by a vote of 99,507 for and 44,675 against. See
Acts 1929, p. 1526.
666 Amend. 16 CONSTITUTION OF ARKANSAS

-- 679 of 883 --