Fayetteville mayor eyes March 2026 date for sales tax election funding $320M bond initiative

FAYETTEVILLE, Arkansas — Fayetteville Mayor Molly Rawn has announced intent to ask voters to continue the city's 1% sales tax to pay for new capital projects, and an election on that bond package could happen as soon as March 2026, according to city documents.

On Sept. 23 Rawn met with city council members and staff to share the proposed $320 million worth of bond items to be included in the 2026 initiative.

Here's a breakdown:

- $45 million dedicated to paying off outstanding bonds
- $146 million for water and sewer, which would go to the East Side Wastewater Treatment Plant, storage tank upgrades, and the 36-inch water transmission line from Beaver Water District in Downtown Fayetteville
- $54 million would go toward transportation, such as safer roads
- $3.6 million for ped infrastructure - moving Fayetteville to be less car-dependent - would look like improving trail systems
- $17.5 million to construction of new animal services facility
- $19.6 million to parks and rec, specifically completing the Parks Master Plan
- $60 million to aquatic center, likely to be placed at Lewis Park
- $18 million to fire training facility and a new fire station
- $1 million for recycling and sustainability, new recycling drop-off center



https://www.5newsonline.com/article/news/local/fayetteville-mayor-2026-sales-tax-bond-election/527-49c7b72e-c038-4c37-a1c5-45f5b161705e