Arkansas City Files Suit Over Fire Insurance Money

The Arkansas city of Beebe has filed suit against White County over how the county distributes some funding to area fire departments.

The suit was filed by Beebe Mayor Mike Robertson and the Beebe City Council after the county decided to distribute funding based on 2000 Census population numbers, rather than the updated 2010 data.

At issue is a 0.5 percent tax on fire insurance that is distributed to fire departments.

The Daily Citizen reports that the White County Intergovernmental Council – which is made up of the county’s 16 mayors – voted in March to keep using 2000 population data when deciding how to distribute the money.

Beebe’s mayor says his town would receive an additional $8,000 or $9,000 this year if the county used the updated numbers.