The multipart sale-tax increase passed in Fayetteville on Tuesday. Those who love to taunt the city doubtless will mock the smaller percentage approving the bit for continued construction of trails, as compared to the 3-to-1 majorities for the sewage treatment and road improvements.
Specifically, according to the NWA Times (and here) and The Morning News (the Times gave only percentages but to the hundredth and total votes; the MN gave vote totals and no-decimal percentages. The Demzette had a 1B picture with a caption that gave nothing away):
- Question 1 (Sewers): 76.28 percent in favor, 4,435 – 1,379 (76-24)
- Question 2 (Sewers): 75.52 percent, 4,424 – 1,434 (76-24)
- Question 3 (Roads): 73.53 percent, 4,264 – 1,535 (74-26)
- Question 4 (Trails): 60.84 percent, 3,524 – 2,268 (61-39)
Total number of voters was 5,838, or 17 percent of the city’s registered voters.
The trails proposal was only 3-2, or 60-40 percent. If that was the vote of a contested race of a Democrat and a Republican, that proportion is called a landslide. I wouldn’t, but lots of spinners do.
Here is a better comparison. Earlier in the summer, Springdale residents approved their funding a proposed minor-league baseball stadium. It won.
By 13 votes. You need to take this one to at least to the tenths: 50.1 to 49.9, 2,408 to 2,395 (50-50).
How did Fayetteville Mayor Dan Coody win this election when the city library couldn’t squeeze the electoral turnip no more than its school district? He hustled where officials of the others presumed the right side would be obvious, never mind the complicated justifications. Even smart UA types had trouble with complexities outside their careers or other specialties. Mayor Coody aggressively sought media attention (risking critical reporting and negative editorials, which ended up endorsing the taxes while generally kicking Coody) and he was literally on the street hustling votes by shouting out to voters from his car and on foot.
The moral: Walking is lots more popular than baseball. If library and public school officials want comfortable budgets with vigorous majorities, they better hang out at the Farmers Market three mornings every week.
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