Raising local revenue: The use and adequacy of voluntary property taxes in arkansas

Abstract

AbstractWith the late-2000s recession, state and local governments have struggled to find the necessary revenue to sustain citizens' demands of governmental services. One potential revenue source is to allow the citizens' themselves to choose the services to fund through the usage of voluntary taxes. Counties and cities in Arkansas have the authority to levy a voluntary property tax to support specific public services. In this study, we explore the prevalence and adequacy of the voluntary property tax by local governments in Arkansas. We identify 58 different voluntary taxes used in 27 counties and 17 cities throughout the state. Moreover, using revenue and expenditure data, we find the tax to be a significant revenue source for several county programs.