As much as the college has changed in its 34-year history, there also might be a concern that its relationship to the communities that created has shifted a bit. In 1989, the voters agreed to impose a 3-mill property tax on themselves to support NWACC. Property values grow, particularly in a hot market like Northwest Arkansas, and Arkansas law tries to soften the impact on taxpayers by automatically rolling back millage rates as they generate more dollars. In 1997 and 2005, NWACC's rates were thus automatically reduced, although left at levels that ensured the college still gained additional dollars annually. In other words, it wasn't a loss; it just wasn't as big a gain as it would have been had the millage stayed at its original rate. In last week's election, NWACC officials asked voters to return the college's millage rate to the original 3 mills. It would have brought in another $1.8 million annually. The voters said no.
