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 […]
When the Arkansas General Assembly convenes in December to reform the state’s education system, they will have tough choices to make about how to pay for these reforms (estimated at $847 million). One of the options the legislature will likely consider is raising the corporate income tax. What would be the impact on state economic […]
According to a recent study by the Joint Committee on Educational Adequacy, it will cost $847 million to reform the Arkansas education system and provide an adequate education for the state’s children (not counting the cost of new school facilities). While it’s anybody guess as to how much new tax revenue the legislature will be […]
On October 23 and 24, 2003, all project staff are required to attend the Outreach Staff Planning Retreat at the Ramada Inn Limited in Little Rock. Each pilot site is encouraged to bring one or two coalition members to assist the group in constructing an effective work plan for the upcoming year. AACF will cover […]