In 1996, the lack of health care coverage was a critical problem for Arkansas children. Nearly one in five Arkansas children lacked health insurance coverage. Children in low-income families were especially vulnerable, with nearly three out of 10 children lacking access to basic health care. At the time, there appeared to be no end to […]
President Reagan called the Earned Income Tax Credit the “best anti-poverty, the best pro-family, the best job creation measure to come out of Congress.” The federal EITC rewards work by adding almost $2 per hour to the pay of low income working families with children. Eighteen states have their own EITCs. Eleven states have adopted […]
The 2003 Arkansas General Assembly defied the odds and passed a 3 percent state income tax surcharge to help plug a $110 million dollar budget shortfall for Medicaid, a critical state program that provides health care for children and other vulnerable populations. Under the law establishing the surcharge, however, it could disappear if certain revenue […]
The last two years have been historic ones for the Arkansas tax and budget system. The Arkansas General Assembly enacted nearly $500 million in tax increases to plug a Medicaid budget shortfall for vulnerable populations and to reform K-12 education in response to an Arkansas Supreme Court mandate in the Lake View school-funding case. Among […]
Statewide Videoconference A Success!! On July 16, 2004, Arkansas Advocates for Children & Families and the Covering Kids & Families Initiative teamed up to sponsor a statewide videoconference. This videoconference featured Jack Tiner, an eligibility expert from the State Department of Human Services. Mr. Tiner provided a training and Q & A concerning the ability […]
Our very own Anita Saig is teaming up with Jessica Aple, Crittenden Memorial Hospital’s Youth Health Services Coordinator, to complete “Open Airways” Asthma Education in elementary schools in Crittenden County. All eight elementary schools in West Memphis completed the education program this past February. There were 140 children in grades 3 through 6 that benefited […]
During the recent special legislative session on education reform, the Arkansas General Assembly passed one of the largest tax increases in the state’s history. It raised over $380 million in new tax revenue, mostly through a 7/8ths cent increase in the state sales tax, expanding the sales tax base to some personal services, and a […]
Deb Garrison and Gail Cannady are the two newest members of our team and ifyou haven’t taken out the time to get to know them….” you really don’t know what you’re missing!!” Deb is the new Executive Director of the Our Kids Count Coalition in Jonesboro. In this new role, she will provide outreach, training […]
When the General Assembly meets in its special session on education reform, one of the funding options it will seriously consider is a one-cent increase in the state sales tax. While this would raise significant revenue for education ($360-$370 million), it would also have major implications for the tax burden of low and middle-income families […]
One of the major issues the Arkansas General Assembly will have to consider during its December special session is how to pay for education reform. According to a study adopted by the Joint Legislative Committee on Education, the cost of education reform will be $847 million annually. This estimate does not include the cost of […]