(a)
(1) The debts of each municipality owing prior to or at the time of the consolidation shall be paid by the consolidated municipality by appropriating the revenues derived from year to year from the territory and the inhabitants of what was formerly the larger municipality to the payment of the debts of the larger municipality owing before the consolidation.
(2) In like manner, the debts of the smaller municipality owing prior to and at the time of the consolidation shall be paid by appropriating the revenues derived from what was formerly the smaller municipality in such manner as to do the least injustice to the inhabitants of each former municipality in the way of a decrease in the improving or bettering of the territory as it formerly existed.
(b) In appropriating the revenues of either municipality to pay its own debts existing prior to the consolidation, neither the territory nor inhabitants of what was formerly the larger or smaller municipality shall be discriminated against in the distribution of police protection, board of health service, fire protection, public lighting, or other like public service.
Structure Arkansas Code
Subtitle 3 - Municipal Government
Chapter 40 - Annexation, Consolidation, and Detachment by Municipalities
Subchapter 6 - Annexation Proceedings by Adjoining Landowners
§ 14-40-601. Application by petition
§ 14-40-602. Hearing on petition
§ 14-40-603. Order for annexation
§ 14-40-604. Proceedings to prevent annexation
§ 14-40-605. Confirmation of annexation
§ 14-40-606. Rights and privileges of new inhabitants
§ 14-40-608. Right to detach certain lands after annexation proceeding
§ 14-40-609. Annexation by 100% petition — Definition
§ 14-40-1201. Petition for consolidation
§ 14-40-1202. Special election called
§ 14-40-1203. Election results
§ 14-40-1204. Contest of election
§ 14-40-1205. Division of smaller municipality into wards
§ 14-40-1206. Plat of consolidated municipality
§ 14-40-1207. Special election of council members or all city officials
§ 14-40-1208. Existing officers, etc
§ 14-40-1210. Payment of existing debts
§ 14-40-1211. Prior debts not preferred
§ 14-40-1212. Rights of annexed territory to benefits of its revenues
§ 14-40-1213. Franchises, contracts, and other obligations
§ 14-40-1801. Proceedings generally