Page 42 - ATR 5 2020 digital

— — — SPECIAL SERIES ON HIGHWAY DOLLARS AND SENSE — — —

Vote for Roads.

Vote for Issue 1.

By Bethany May

Managing Editor

Ed. note: In November 2020, Arkansas
voters will have the power to decide if
the state should keep collecting a half-
cent sales tax in order to raise over $205
million annually for state highways and
bridges, plus an additional $43 million
each for counties and cities. In each issue
leading up to the election, we have covered
the potential impact of that decision. We
encourage you to educate yourself before
you vote and to help educate your friends,
family, neighbors and coworkers who will
help Arkansas make critical choices about
our state’s infrastructure.

Every time that we arrive at
this moment — days before the
election — we’re always ready for it.
Maybe every election cycle, we get more
anxious for the attack ads and op-eds
to end, for holiday cards to replace
candidate fliers in our mailboxes, for the
conversation to be about anything else.
The Governor and advocates for
Issue 1 have taken every opportunity Photo: istockphoto.com
to tell voters about what a YES vote
would mean for drivers on Arkansas
roads. There have been challenges of
campaigning across the state when the
pandemic thwarted original plans, and a reliable infrastructure package for safety, and support the economy and
opponents have also spent time trying over a decade. Right now, we have a prosperity of communities.
to persuade voters. chance to seize the moment and make
If you are still on the fence, we it happen as voters. Funding roads by VOTERS GET TO MAKE IT HAPPEN
hope you’ll consider reading our entire continuing to collect a half-cent sales Issue 1 has had late opposition
series “Highway Dollars and Sense,” tax will allow people in all corners of organize in the weeks leading up to
but to sum up, Arkansas Trucking the state to have access to an essential the election. One consistent argument
Association has been working toward resource, maintain and improve is that a tax should not be written

42 Issue 5 2020 | ARKANSAS TRUCKING REPORT