Whenever in any county where there is located a public hospital owned by such county or by any municipal corporation therein, whether such hospital be operated by such county or municipal corporation or by a benevolent association as the agent or lessee of such county or municipal corporation, one hundred or more electors of such county shall file a petition with the county judge asking that an annual tax on real and personal property in such county be levied for the purpose of maintaining, operating and supporting such hospital and shall specify a rate of taxation not exceeding one mill on the dollar of the assessed value of real and personal property in the county. The question as to whether such tax shall be levied shall be submitted to the qualified electors of such county at a general election. Such petition must be filed at least thirty days prior to the election at which it will be submitted to the voters. The county judge upon the filing of such petitionshall notify the county board of election commissioners thereof and the county board of election commissioners shallcause the question to be placed upon the ballots in substantially the following form:
For a ________________ mill tax on real and personal property to be used for maintenance, operation and support of a public hospital.
Against a ________________ mill tax on real and personal property to be used for maintenance, operation and support of a public hospital.
§2. Result of election — Certification and proclamation — Tax levy.
The election commissioners shall certify to the county judge the result of the vote and if a majority of the qualified electors voting on the question at such election vote in favor of the specified tax then it shall thereafter be continually levied and collected as other general taxes of such county are levied and collected. The result of the election shall be proclaimed by the county judge by publication for one insertion in some newspaper published and having a bona fide circulation in such county. The result so proclaimed shall be conclusive unless attacked in the courts within thirty days and after the election it shall not be competent to attack the result thereof on the ground that any signers of the petition were not qualified electors. The proceeds of any tax so voted shall upon the settlement of the collecting officer be paid by the treasurer of the county to the treasurer of such hospital to be used by such treasurer in the maintenance, operation and support of such institution; provided that any county where there may be more than one hospital qualified to receive the proceeds of such tax, the quorumcourt at its meeting for the purpose of adopting the county's budget, shall provide for the apportionment of the proceeds of said tax between the institutions so qualified according to their respective needs.
§3. Raising, reducing or abolishing tax — Petition and election.
Whenever one hundred or more electors of any county having a hospital tax in force shall file a petition with the county judge asking that such tax be raised, reduced or abolished, the question shall be submitted to the qualified electors at a general election. Such petition must be filed at least thirty days prior to the election at which it will be submitted to the voters. The ballots shall follow, as far as practicable, the form set out in Section 1 hereof, and the result shall be certified and proclaimed as provided in Section 2 hereof and shall be conclusive in like manner. The tax shall be lowered, raised or abolished as the case may be, according to the majority of qualified electors voting on the question at such election, provided, however, that it shall not be raised to more than one mill on the dollar. If lowered or raised the revised tax shall thereafter be continually levied and collected and the proceeds used in the manner and for the purposes provided in Section 2 hereof.
§4. Amendment self executing.
This amendmentshall be self executing and shall become a part of the constitution of the State of Arkansas when approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon at the next general election.
Congratulations! You're now booked up on Amendment 32 of the Arkansas Constitution!
