Voters favor ballot initiatives
Last updated Wednesday, November 8, 2006 9:36 PM CST in News
By Rob Moritz
The Morning News
LITTLE ROCK -- Voter approval of a proposed $250 million higher education bond package on Election Day is "a vote for a better future in Arkansas," University of Arkansas System President B. Alan Sugg said Wednesday.
Arkansas voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly approved Referred Question 1, the higher education bond proposal, along with a constitutional amendment to legalizes charitable bingo and raffles in the state.
With 97 percent of precincts reported unofficial results Wednesday, voters passed the ballot questions by identical tallies of 69 percent to 31 percent.
"We are very appreciative of Arkansans voting for the higher education bond issue," Sugg said. "We will utilize it in the best interest of higher education."
Under the proposal, $100 million is to be used to pay off existing bonds and $150 million is to be earmarked for capital improvements and technology upgrades at Arkansas' 10 public universities and 22 two-year colleges.
About $63 million is to go to the University of Arkansas System and be split among campuses in Fayetteville, Fort Smith, Little Rock, Monticello, Pine Bluff and the medical school under the plan.
About $9.3 million also is to be allocated for the e-Corridor connection, a high capacity fiber optic research network for 10 universities and the medical sciences campus. The remainder of the money would be allocated among the state's two-year colleges.
Amendment 1 legalizes charitable bingo and raffles with certain restrictions.
"I am just delighted that churches, VFWs and other fraternal organizations will be able to use this," said Rep. Shirley Borhauer, R-Bella Vista, sponsor of the proposal.
"I just think it's good for the state," she said, adding that the amendment will not lead to the proliferation of gambling halls in the state, as some have suggested.
"This is a very minimalist kind of gambling, if you will," she said.
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