tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23351605967047962922024-02-18T19:42:10.586-06:00Master Log~All that it takes for Evil to prevail is for good men to stand idly by and do nothing~Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.comBlogger142125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-7217437949699150872011-03-21T00:16:00.000-05:002011-03-21T00:16:17.223-05:00Get Ready Cause Here I Come to a State Near You ~ Taxes, more Taxes and Obamacare<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJAecoLbpoeQ3BRUQlxHSwWHkebyKtU4q-C0gIQYCbdf862B1xisBHIlDysyKx8OGjHTftCwNYc8_1o6qiKNy2zApx4DZjuAy-jQiuceqkoSM7sHTAh_z-wSIN-LLQl4SNHKPzCaHv_s/s1600/obamacare+cartoon+rsz.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="207" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmJAecoLbpoeQ3BRUQlxHSwWHkebyKtU4q-C0gIQYCbdf862B1xisBHIlDysyKx8OGjHTftCwNYc8_1o6qiKNy2zApx4DZjuAy-jQiuceqkoSM7sHTAh_z-wSIN-LLQl4SNHKPzCaHv_s/s320/obamacare+cartoon+rsz.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Only two weeks left in the Arkansas 88th General Assembly Session and what a two weeks it will be. Here is the calendar for just next week~ (<a href="http://ow.ly/4iqgE">http://ow.ly/4iqgE </a>)</span></div><div style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tomorrow the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=028">Special Language Committee</a> is meeting and according to statements made by Senator Kim Hendren and Rep. Tim Summers and Russ Carnine at a breakfast I attended Saturday morning, this committee needs to be abolished. Evidently there are some shenanigans that go on in that room that would make even <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Rod Blagojevich blush. </span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">The Special Language committee is evidently going to be voting on an unpublished amendment by Rep K Ingram, published<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Meeting%20Attachments/028/I9453/E.%20Member%20Amendments.PDF"> here</a> now, tomorrow that would take some $3million from the Land Commissioners budget and use it for special ear marks that are lined out on page 6 , thoughts? you decide~</span></span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also Tomorrow in the <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/15275/S9544.pdf">Senate Transportation Committee</a> the Diesel Tax,<a href="http://staging.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2011/public/HB1902.pdf"> HB1902</a> is on the agenda. </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Keep in mind, as posted</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/note-from-afp-arkansas-on-tax-issues.html">before</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">, this bill increases Arkansas’ diesel tax to 7.7 cents HIGHER than all of our surrounding states (Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi). Diesel taxes are almost entirely passed on to consumers in higher cost of retail goods including food, clothing, office supplies, etc. (according to a Stanford University study conducted in March of 2010.1) For every one cent diesel tax increase per gallon, Arkansas consumers face an increase retail price of 1.09 cents. Because Arkansas has the third highest per capita recipients of social security payments in the United States, just over 20% of our population2, the burden will be felt most significantly by those living on fixed incomes</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"></span>Another tax to be on the look out for Tuesday is the Hwy Tax <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=HJR1001">HJR1001</a>, due before the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/15270/S9552.pdf">House State Age</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">ncies Committee.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">If that ain't enough to get your dander up then start looking for the "Head and Shoulders" cause the bill to implement </span>Obamacare in Arkansas I am told is set to run on Wednesday in the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=890">House Insurance and Commerce Committee</a>. <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb2138">HB2138 </a>by Rep Hyde which according to an email was amended late on Friday, copy of Amendment <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Amendments/HB2138-H1.pdf">here</a>.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not sure where the Senate twin <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb880">(SB880</a>) is to this but it hasn't been amended yet. Arkansans beware that they could ram Obamacare thru here in Arkansas in as little as 3 days…”</span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-4366345635403161872011-03-15T19:47:00.000-05:002011-03-15T19:47:32.927-05:00Bill Adventures~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvT_62UieTRLaxg7slm8SVLy5OoK_BN_-Nso1wPUuZt6Gu4ar0bPBCtIVDe-w-fSTRn-AcAAafp2hjXjUWG28aiMN1cSbK9dDUKNI1AxK5G5Z0K8Vnx7l9mPSI94FLTrx1bsjhn0LbyM/s1600/I%2527m+just+a+bill.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDvT_62UieTRLaxg7slm8SVLy5OoK_BN_-Nso1wPUuZt6Gu4ar0bPBCtIVDe-w-fSTRn-AcAAafp2hjXjUWG28aiMN1cSbK9dDUKNI1AxK5G5Z0K8Vnx7l9mPSI94FLTrx1bsjhn0LbyM/s320/I%2527m+just+a+bill.jpg" width="305" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
With more than 2300 bills having been filed this session you can imagine the frenzy with which they are shuttled from the filing stage, through committees,both houses and, if the pass the muster, ultimately to the governors desk .</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you just look at the House Education Committee you will see that they had nearly 100 bills on their agenda for today alone.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Twitter-verse was filled today with a flurry of activity as it becomes crunch time in the Ole Arkansas Legislature. There is even a bit of a buzz about Saturday Sessions in order to get everything accomplished by April 1st.<br />
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Some things to take note of today. Sen. Rapert's <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr4">SJR4</a> - the “Taxpayer Protection” Amendment was stopped in the Senate State Agencies Committee. A Tweet directly following this news from Rep. David Meeks was "Msg of the day: Its ok to refer tax increases to the voters but not a taxpayer protection amendment? Really?"<br />
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Two other candidates for the 2012 ballot were taken down <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr6">SJR6</a> – a bill to limit the total amount of years served to 14 years total by Sen. Bill Pritchard, and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr7">SJR7</a> - the bill to eliminate and consolidate certain constitutional offices by Sen. Robert Thompson.<br />
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That committee approved Sen. Hutchinson's <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr2">SJR2</a> - the bill that will put the Highway Commission, Game and Fish Commission and the lottery appropriation under the supervision of the state legislature and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr5">SJR5</a> - a bonds bill for cities and counties by Sen Files. </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Diesel Tax (<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1902">HB1902</a>)</b> was not heard in the Senate Transportation Committee today. I am not sure what that means or where it stands but will have an update as soon as I know anything~</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Charter School Bill (</span><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb346" style="line-height: 25px;">SB346</a></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;"><b>)</b>- a bill that would remove the limitation on the number of open-enrollment Charter Schools,</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;"> made it out of the Senate today by a vote of 20-10 and is on it's way to the House Education Committee~</span></span></div><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><br />
</b></span></div><div style="font-size: 16px; line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Prison Reform (<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb750">SB750</a>)</b> passed through the House Judiciary Committee and is headed for it's last vote before going to the Governor for his signature into law. (<a href="http://www.thecitywire.com/?q=node/15003">Read more...</a>)</span></div><div style="line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Several appropriation bills failed in the House today, visit the Twitter Feed at the <a href="https://twitter.com/#!/search/%23arleg">#ARLeg</a> for details.</span></div><div style="line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Some other bills to watch</u></b></span></div><div style="line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As I posted earlier <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/opportunity-to-engage-for-transparency.html">today </a> the <b>Capital Gains Tax Reduction (HB1002)</b> and The <b>Constitutional Offices Transparency Bill (HB1046)</b> will both be heard tomorrow. You still have time to make a difference in helping to cut taxes and promote government transparency. (<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/opportunity-to-engage-for-transparency.html">Read more..</a>.)</span></div><div style="line-height: 25px; margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Clean Energy Act, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb721">SB721</a> by Sen Sue Madison, was suppose to be heard today but will be heard on Thursday by the Senate Insurance Committee. </span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
I received an email today that had this letter from Larry Thompson, Financial Services Director for City Water & Light Jonesboro:<br />
</span><blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"This bill includes a 20%/200mW renewable portfolio standard (RPS) for Arkansas (23-18-904(c)(1)(B)). Each utility would be required to purchase renewables under a tariff based on its load ratio share. These higher-cost renewables will increase our retail rates to families, business and industry.<br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since many cities purchase power thru full-requirements, long-term agreements, this renewable mandate may be in conflict with these contracts. The cities which own more than 80% of their needs may find some of their generating capacity effectively “stranded”. This could further increase prices to customers."</span></i></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Also received this update from the <a href="http://familycouncil.org/?p=2154">Family Council on 7 Pro-life bills to watch</a>~ </span><br />
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</div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-54370367160212058372011-03-15T10:54:00.002-05:002011-03-15T11:00:23.792-05:00An Opportunity to Engage for Transparency and Lower Taxes<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tomorrow will be a big day at the Capitol. This is a wonderful opportunity for you and your friends and family to engage, impacting the future of our state and the economic future of our children.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>The Capitol Gains Tax Cut</b>, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1002">HB1002 </a> will be heard at 10 am by the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/15127/S9485.pdf">Senate Revenue and Tax Committee</a>. Rumors flying that key members will not be present- Please call Committee members and respectfully request they attend and vote.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 20px;"><strong>Uncommitted Votes:</strong></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 20px;"> Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville). Senate Phone 501-682-2902.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 20px;">There is also a bill that has been flying under the radar which is a huge step for government transparency, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1046"><b>HB1046</b></a>, </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;">TO PROVIDE THAT CASH FUNDS RECEIVED BY CONSTITUTIONAL OFFICERS OR STATE AGENCIES AS A RESULT OF AN AWARD BY THE COURT OR SETTLEMENT AGREEMENT ARE SUBJECT TO APPROPRIATION BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY<b>.</b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;">It is scheduled for the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/Lists/Meetings/Attachments/15131/S9480.pdf">Senate State Agencies</a> at 10 am as well. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;">It is my understanding, that the Attorney General has the majority of discretion currently of where this money is spent, although he told me that the Judges are involved to an extent.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;">There are millions of dollars that flow in and out of this fund and in the spirit of transparency the tax payers of Arkansas need to know the details of that flow and have more oversight. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; line-height: 16px;">The Arkansas Senate sent a resounding message on transparency yesterday with a unanimous vote for the "online checkbook" This would be an additional step to help bring fiscal responsibility and government transparency to our state. Please call the committee members and ask them to once again stand with Arkansans and support transparency.<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333;"> </span></span></span><br />
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</span></span>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-36404875041649649642011-03-14T17:39:00.000-05:002011-03-14T17:39:45.048-05:00WINNER WINNER~ BUDGET THINNER... AND ONLINE<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIgHSjJDj6wBkniqu3ntaMwZOxby98fLA-zIxziMeYo-wSq1kA6wFYynHDET6Y9rveiXNZvIuiX_zgaSNHWi2QHey13602rM_Zdk5ho6aMJrR5USNjtnsUbS6TwZO_m6wnVyuyHLN6KU/s1600/budget_cutting_hg_clr+%25281%2529.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguIgHSjJDj6wBkniqu3ntaMwZOxby98fLA-zIxziMeYo-wSq1kA6wFYynHDET6Y9rveiXNZvIuiX_zgaSNHWi2QHey13602rM_Zdk5ho6aMJrR5USNjtnsUbS6TwZO_m6wnVyuyHLN6KU/s320/budget_cutting_hg_clr+%25281%2529.gif" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today was an EPIC day in the Arkansas Legislature!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By a vote of 5-76-7 the House voted down 113 GIF (General Improvement Fund) request, totaling nearly a BILLION dollars. WAY TO GO!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">They also reportedly voted down another 8 bills according to Tolbert Report. In his post today Jason explains what GIF's are and list the other 8 bills <a href="http://tolbertreport.com/2011/03/14/house-votes-down-appropriation-gif-bills/">(read more...</a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>And that's not all...</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A tweet from Rep. David Meeks this afternoon said "I've been assured that HB1992,the severance tax bill, will be pulled.It has been killed for now. Will let u know if that changes."</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">You will recall that HB1992 was the "shale tax" bill that I spoke of in my post "<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/i-picked-wrong-week.html">I Picked the Wrong Week...</a>" and the committee meeting that was so horrible.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>But wait there's more...</b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Just when you thought it couldn't get any better, HB2060, the bill that was</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">a mandate for union dues to be taken from paychecks and paid directly to the union</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> is being pulled and will be removed from the calendar~ </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>AND.... Drum Roll Please</b></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/t925JwYXhVA?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">The Arkansas State Senate UNANIMOUSLY voted to approve SB221 the online checkbook bill!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">IT IS A GREAT <b><u>DAY</u></b> IN THE STATE OF ARKANSAS~ </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">PLEASE CALL YOUR REPRESENTATIVES AND SENATORS AND TELL THEM YOU APPRECIATE THEM STANDING WITH ARKANSANS!</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">AND>>> While you have them on the phone encourage them to vote the rest of this session to GROW JOBS~ NOT GOVERNMENT~ <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: lime;"><b>Yes</b></span> on Capital Gains Tax Cut (HB1002), <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: red;"><b>NO </b></span>on Diesel Tax (HB1092) and Internet Tax(SB738)</span>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-55733533129945839502011-03-14T16:37:00.000-05:002011-03-14T16:37:32.710-05:00A Note From AFP Arkansas on TAX Issues~<div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><strong><img height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5014/5527002366_2fbdd3dd66_m.jpg" width="213" /></strong></span></span></strong></u></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><strong><br />
</strong></span></span></strong></u></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong></strong></span></span></strong></u><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>Stand with AFP Arkansas</strong></span></span></strong></u></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #006600; font-size: x-large;">Grow Jobs NOT Government</span></strong></span></span></strong></u></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong style="font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #006600; font-size: x-large;"><br />
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</strong></u></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><strong><br />
</strong></u></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><strong><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Capital Gains Investment Tax Reduction: <span style="color: #006600;">SUPPORT</span></span></strong></u><strong><u><br />
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When it comes to creating new jobs, Arkansas is at a competitive disadvantage. Texas, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi and Louisiana have eliminated or have reduced the job killing capital gains tax. Arkansas has the opportunity to do the same by <strong>passing HB 1002</strong>. According to the Wall Street Journal, “Businesses in high tax states invest less…and this leads to lower productivity and eventually lower average pay for workers.” Let’s invest in Arkansas future by growing jobs, NOT government!<br />
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<strong>Uncommitted Votes:</strong> Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville). Senate Phone 501-682-2902.<br />
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</u></strong></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><u><br />
</u></strong></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Billion Dollar Diesel Tax INCREASE: <span style="color: red;">OPPOSE</span></span></u></strong><br />
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HB1902: A bill that increases Arkansas’ diesel tax to 7.7 cents HIGHER than all of our surrounding states (Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi). Diesel taxes are almost entirely passed on to consumers in higher cost of retail goods including food, clothing, office supplies, etc. (according to a Stanford University study conducted in March of 2010.<sup>1</sup>) For every one cent diesel tax increase per gallon, Arkansas consumers face an increase retail price of 1.09 cents. Because Arkansas has the third highest per capita recipients of social security payments in the United States, just over 20% of our population<sup>2</sup>, the burden will be felt most significantly by those living on fixed incomes.<br />
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<strong>Uncommitted Votes:</strong> Sen. Paul Bookout (Jonesboro), Sen. Linda Chesterfield (Little Rock), Sen. Jerry Taylor (Pine Bluff), Sen. Larry Teague (Nashville). Senator Jake Files (Fort Smith), Senator Bill Sample (Hot Springs) Call Senate Phone 501-682-2902<br />
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1.http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/<br />
documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf<br />
2.Social Security Administration Master Beneficiary Record<br />
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Remember, states with more economic freedom grow faster, have better wages and better quality of life. Let’s get government out of the way and work together to grow jobs, not government!<strong><br />
</strong></span></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For Freedom & Liberty,</span><br />
<br />
<strong style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Teresa Crossland-Oelke</strong><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;">Arkansas State Director</span><br />
<a href="http://www.americansforprosperity.org/arkansas" rel="nofollow" style="font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif;" target="_blank">Americans for Prosperity</a></div><div style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 2px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 2px; font-family: 'times new roman', 'new york', times, serif; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><em>“Man is not free unless government is limited.” - Ronald Reagan</em></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-601335416708165842011-03-13T22:03:00.000-05:002011-03-13T22:03:19.926-05:00Update on Internet-TAX<div style="line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thought Arkansans would be interested to know what impact the "Internet Tax" our legislators passed through the <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/internet-tax-passes-through-senate.html">Senate last week</a> is having in other states such as Illinois. </span></div><div style="line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois Governor Pat Quinn (D) signed the tax into law on Thursday. Amazon and other online retailers wasted no time pulling out.</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Call your Representatives and let them know you do not want to follow Illinois~</span></div><div style="line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Here are a few stories with the details~ Pay attention Arkansas! </span></div><div style="line-height: 1.3em; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 10px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><h1 style="margin-bottom: 5px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #001346; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><u>From Townhall Finance~ <a href="http://finance.townhall.com/news/business/2011/03/11/amazon_cuts_ill_ties_over_sales_tax_collection">Amazon cuts Ill. ties over sales tax collection</a></u></span></h1><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> "Amazon.com has made good on its threat to cut ties with Illinois affiliates because of a new law requiring the online store to collect sales taxes.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Amazon notified its Illinois partners Friday that it will stop doing business with them April 15. It calls the tax law "unconstitutional and counterproductive.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Online retailer Overstock.com said later that it also will cut ties with Illinois-based partners beginning May 1.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Gov. Pat Quinn signed legislation Thursday that requires online companies to collect sales taxes on Internet purchases if they have any affiliates based in Illinois. Affiliates are businesses that refer customers to Amazon and Overstock and receive commissions on purchases.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The sales tax always applied to Internet sales. But individuals _ not online businesses _ were responsible for paying it. Few people did.</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">From Investors.com <a href="http://www.investors.com/NewsAndAnalysis/Article/565798/201103111841/Illinois-Illogical-Internet-Tax.htm">Illinois' Illogical Internet Tax</a></span></u></b></span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><strong>Fiscal Policy:</strong> Illinois becomes the latest state to enact a law imposing a sales tax on Internet retailers. Advertised as saving "main street" jobs, it's yet another creative way to drive them off.<br />
Ignoring the truism that when you tax something you get less of it, Illinois Gov. Pat Quinn on Thursday signed legislation making the Land of Lincoln the latest state to enact what's dubbed the Amazon Tax. It's designed to collect state sales taxes from online companies if in-state businesses do business through websites such as Seattle-based Amazon.com.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In the past, online companies such as Amazon avoided collecting and paying state sales taxes, arguing they have no physical presence in a given state. A 1992 Supreme Court decision found that businesses had to collect sales taxes only in states in which they had a substantial physical nexus there.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Amazon has no physical presence in Illinois, but its affiliates — companies that market through Amazon — do.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois now joins Hawaii, North Carolina and Rhode Island in getting around this impediment by considering affiliates as the required nexus. Amazon's in court with New York over a similar law.<br />
According to the Tax Foundation, such taxes do not produce huge revenue streams. "Rhode Island," it says, "has seen no additional sales tax revenue from its Amazon tax, and because Amazon reacted by discontinuing its affiliate program, Rhode Islanders are earning less income and paying less income tax."</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Illinois has about 9,000 such affiliates, and Rebecca Madigan, director of the Performance Marketing Association, an affiliate trade group, estimates the state will lose 25% to 30% of tax revenues collected from the affiliates themselves as they lose business, cut jobs or move out of Illinois.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"We had opposed this new law because it is unconstitutional and counterproductive," Amazon said in a letter announcing it was severing ties with its Illinois affiliates. Businesses targeted by the new tax are already packing their bags to move to friendlier tax climes.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Until Quinn's action in signing what is called the Main Street Fairness Act, those Amazon or Overstock.com affiliates didn't have to collect the state sales tax as a local store selling the same product must.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Quinn says this law "will put Illinois-based businesses on a level-playing field," putting online retailers under the same tax burden as brick-and-mortar stores.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Likelier, it will simply force businesses to flee the state and leave their brick-and-mortar offices and buildings empty.</span></blockquote></div><div><br />
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</div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-90179211830402269462011-03-12T11:22:00.000-06:002011-03-12T11:22:25.017-06:00I Picked the Wrong Week...<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I felt like Lloyd Bridges in Airplane, "I picked the wrong week to stop drinking"... Red Bull...</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">My youngest daughter, Hannah, and I spent this past week pacing the halls of the state Capitol trying to keep a pulse on what is going on with all the tax increases, tax cuts and new government regulations. </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It started very late Monday night when news spread fast about Governor Beebe hoping to make Arkansas the Flagship for socialized healthcare by being the first state to fully implement Obamacare. (<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/arkansas-flagship-for-obamacare.html">Read more...</a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Which, among other reasons, is why Rep Ed Garner chose to not run HB1002, Captial Gains Tax Cut on Wednesday (will run next Wednesday), to allow the focus to be on Sen. Missy Irvin's bill SB 709, a bill that would have required <span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">state agencies to document the expenses they incur to implement the federal health law. That committee meeting (IMHO) was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">embarrassment</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> to the system and to our state. (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/locomotive-speeds-through-arkansas.html">Read why...</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">)</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Thursday brought the "Internet Tax" bill that flew threw the Senate <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/Votes.aspx?rcsnum=431&votechamber=Senate">26-7</a>, meaning many thought-to-be conservatives voted YES to this tax increase. <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/internet-tax-passes-through-senate.html">(Read more...</a>)</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">But Friday was the clincher. I was truly feeling the depths of Mr. Bridges' sentiments as I scoured the Capitol for the nearest Red Bull vendor.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday morning bright and early the "Shale Tax" bill was heard in the House Insurance and Commerce Committee. (scratching my head) One might think that it would be heard by the House Revenue and Tax Committee. Oh wait the House Revenue and Tax Committee is majority Republican....</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This meeting was the Coup de grace' of back room politics. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">(this is a true parenthetical moment ...My brain just did a flash to Tony Soprano saying "</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;">I'm in the waste management business. Everybody immediately assumes you're mobbed up. It's a stereotype. And it's offensive... There is no Mafia.")</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 17px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> I'm not sure why that scene just popped into my head, let's continue.</span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The <a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/NAT-GAS-EXEC-RAISING-SEVERANCE-TAX-IS-THE-WRONG-THING-FOR-ARKANSAS-/1609/">"Shale Tax"</a> meeting was packed. The media reported 250 but I can tell you if there was one, there were 400. The word was spreading fast that Speaker Moore was considering not running the bill because he felt he did not have the votes, even in this stacked committee, to get a do pass; plus the size of the turn out (and I am not speaking of the number of people).</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But he ultimately did and it was quite the show. Don't take my word for it, watch it for your self here <a href="http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=393">http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=393</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I was slinging the Red Bull back one after the other around the time the House convened at 10 am, anxiously awaiting the floor vote on HB1902, another bill Speaker Moore supports, the "Diesel Tax" bill, that would raise the price of diesel fuel on Arkansans an additional .05/gal over the rest of the nation. (<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/truth-about-diesel-tax.html">Read more...</a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In case you haven't heard the diesel tax passed through the Arkansas house <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/Votes.aspx?rcsnum=592&votechamber=House">67-24</a>. Once again legislators Arkansans thought they could trust to protect us from additional taxation and government regulations voted to increase the cost of diesel fuel on us by .05/gal. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Don't be fooled by any rhetoric you hear them justifying it about putting it to a vote of the people, Horse Feathers!, we sent them there with a CLEAR message in November, NO MORE TAXES.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Not only that but with that vote the said yes to spending millions of tax payer dollars to do it. See the powers that be recognize you can't let a good crisis go to waste, when thousands of Arkansans are dying everyday because of lack of good roads and safe bridges. We must implement this tax NOW by holding a SPECIAL ELECTION, which will cost more than 1million tax payer dollars (some estimates I have gotten over the last 24 hours say $2million) EACH time.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I say each time because unbeknownst, evidently, to several who voted for this tax increase, the language in the bill provides that the Governor can run "subsequent" elections if the proposition fails as many times as it takes to pass and as often as every six months (page 10 staring line 7 <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1902.pdf">http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1902.pdf</a>)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We also know that there will be an "education" campaign from our illustrious protectors, to ensure that every Arkansan knows the urgency that is before us with regards to our roads.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Watch the House vote here~<a href="http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=394">http://arkansas-house.granicus.com/MediaPlayer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=394</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Friends, I know you are busy, tired and perhaps feel unable to make a difference. But that is simply not true. If not for the people who have engaged in the past two years all of this stuff would have already been implemented with not a single hiccup. We have been able to shine the light on what has been going on now for decades right under our noses, and we ARE MAKING a difference.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Regardless of what you have been told the government is still run of, by and for the people. The people just need assert their power by the means afforded us in our system, IT WORKS! We just need to work it.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">What you can do~</span><br />
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<ol><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Spread this information FAR AND WIDE, make sure those in your spheres of influence know what is going on, it affects their families too.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Find out who your elected officials are and COMMUNICATE with them. Let them know you willing to do the work it takes to come alongside them so they CAN represent YOU according to your beliefs and values</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Read and investigate. What episode of Glee is more important than the future of your children and the families in our communities.</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Ask questions. Tons of questions</span></li>
<li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED~</span></li>
</ol><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you need help and want a little more direction, call me 501-258-6353, the more people we have seriously involved the faster we get our state on the right track and the more we secure the futures of the next generation.</span></div><br />
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</span>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-90141538894479047482011-03-10T22:50:00.000-06:002011-03-10T22:50:26.299-06:00The Truth about the Diesel Tax<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuYGSaiozTdXTZ2Mek07U9aLXEUA1VZcTv8S2qTPBmhQPaJwpTerztkW6pdF5jp6s5oMWw28tWgLy1dM48GraaTuEc27f3k7RbR_Fo_WNcRo20_DZQpXbai-dWBPBnTMnKCFX6HzCdyo/s1600/gas_tax03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="192" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnuYGSaiozTdXTZ2Mek07U9aLXEUA1VZcTv8S2qTPBmhQPaJwpTerztkW6pdF5jp6s5oMWw28tWgLy1dM48GraaTuEc27f3k7RbR_Fo_WNcRo20_DZQpXbai-dWBPBnTMnKCFX6HzCdyo/s200/gas_tax03.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=840">House Public Transportation Committee</a> allowed an increase to Arkansas Diesel fuel to move forward. Speaker of the House, Robert Moore's <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1902">HB 1902</a>, which would increase the cost to Arkansans for diesel fuel an additional .05 per gallon, sailed through the republican controlled committee on a voice vote with nary a roll call.<br />
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The committee has 10 republican members, 3 [Reps. Denny Altes (R-Fort Smith), Gary Stubblefield (R-Branch), and Prissy Hickerson (R-Texarkana.)] of which admitted to blogger Jason Tolbert they voted for the bill. (read details <a href="http://tolbertreport.com/2011/03/10/majority-republican-committe-gives-green-light-to-tax-hike/">here</a>)<br />
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This bill will it the House floor tomorrow afternoon. Here some things you should know and pass on to your representative. <br />
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**This information provided by Teresa Oelke, Executive Director of Americans for Prosperity Arkansas.</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> The Arkansas chapter of Americans for Prosperity opposes HB1902, a bill that increases diesel taxes. Currently, Arkansas has the highest diesel taxes in the region (Missouri, Oklahoma, Texas, Tennessee, Louisiana, and Mississippi) by 2.7 cents. This measure will increase Arkansas’ diesel tax to 7.7 cents higher than all of our surrounding states.<br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More importantly, diesel taxes are almost entirely passed on to consumers according to a Stanford University study conducted in March of 2010.<a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftn1">[1]</a> According to the study, for every one cent diesel tax increase per gallon, Arkansas consumers face an increase retail price of 1.09 cents. Because Arkansas has the third highest per capita receipiants of social security payments in the United States, just over 20% of our population<a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftn2">[2]</a>, the burden will be felt most significantly by those living on fixed incomes.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Proponents of this legislation admit the tax increase will pull $100 million dollars in tax revenue each year out of the private sector, one billion over ten years. Each year, that is $60 million in NEW taxes or $600 million in new taxes over ten years taken out of the private sector.<br />
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</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Arkansas AFP will score the vote on HB 1902 on their legislative score card.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><u>Overview</u></b></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In a detailed study of the effects gas and diesel tax increases have on consumer prices, Stanford University concluded “We find that state gasoline and diesel taxes are on average fully passed on to consumers.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftn3">[3]</a> In regards to diesel taxes, “Our base findings indicate that diesel taxes are fully passed on to consumers. Increases in state diesel taxes of one cent per gallon lead to an increase in the state retail price of 1.09 cents.”<a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_edn1">[i]</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In addition to keeping the .04 cent diesel tax that is schedule to sunset; this bill adds .05 cents to the diesel tax, for a tally of .09 cents in diesel taxes increases. This will push Arkansas to have the highest diesel tax in the region by 7.7 cents<a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftn4">[4]</a> which puts us at a significant competitive disadvantage.</span></blockquote><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><br clear="all" /> <hr align="left" size="1" width="33%" /> <!--[endif]--> <div id="ftn1" style="mso-element: footnote;"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftnref1" name="_ftn1" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn1;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[1]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf">http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf</a></div></div><div id="ftn2" style="mso-element: footnote;"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftnref2" name="_ftn2" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn2;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[2]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <span style="font-family: "Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman";">Social Security Administration Master Beneficiary Record </span></div></div><div id="ftn3" style="mso-element: footnote;"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftnref3" name="_ftn3" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn3;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[3]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf">http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf</a> </div></div><div id="ftn4" style="mso-element: footnote;"> <div class="MsoFootnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ftnref4" name="_ftn4" style="mso-footnote-id: ftn4;" title=""><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoFootnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[4]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.easy-tax-information.com/support-files/diesel-fuel-taxes-by-state-january-2011.pdf">http://www.easy-tax-information.com/support-files/diesel-fuel-taxes-by-state-january-2011.pdf</a> </div><div class="MsoFootnoteText"><br />
</div></div></div><div style="font-family: Calibri, sans-serif;"> <!--[endif]--> <div id="edn1" style="mso-element: endnote;"> <div class="MsoEndnoteText"><a href="file:///C:/Users/computer/Downloads/Diesel%20Taxes.doc#_ednref1" name="_edn1" style="mso-endnote-id: edn1;" title=""><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="mso-special-character: footnote;"><!--[if !supportFootnotes]--><span class="MsoEndnoteReference"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 10.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;">[i]</span></span><!--[endif]--></span></span></a> <a href="http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf">http://www.gsb.stanford.edu/facseminars/events/applied_microecon/documents/ame_10_10_marion.pdf</a> </div></div></div><br />
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</div></div></div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-61681581027482173542011-03-10T21:54:00.000-06:002011-03-10T21:54:18.151-06:00Internet Tax Passes Through Senate<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaAPVwRGl_L3elB8S58yzTCVTSh8c_dOAmE3amn_OeWLzRCXRe-TZRmuIZQv52xELiUWR-Me5lVFG8B2TOGNWygYp3BzkwsNoYSZkKRJl3Ap5yjh3g0XGe-8GYis2t20BRodnIBCU_Ak/s1600/Internet-money.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieaAPVwRGl_L3elB8S58yzTCVTSh8c_dOAmE3amn_OeWLzRCXRe-TZRmuIZQv52xELiUWR-Me5lVFG8B2TOGNWygYp3BzkwsNoYSZkKRJl3Ap5yjh3g0XGe-8GYis2t20BRodnIBCU_Ak/s320/Internet-money.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Some Arkansas legislators are still evidently not convinced that Arkansans were serious in November when we sent a resounding message to stop raising taxes and begin to reign in spending.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Today the Arkansas Senate passed the "Internet Tax Bill", <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=SB738">SB 738</a>, by a vote of <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/Votes.aspx?rcsnum=431&votechamber=Senate">26-7-2</a>. "Yes" votes would include all 20 Democrats and 6 Republicans. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Many proponents of this bill will tell you it is not a tax increase, which technically is true, BUT the net effect is a tax increase to the consumer on all internet purchases. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">According to a letter sent by </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 25px;">Grover Norquist, President of <a href="http://www.atr.org/">Americans for Tax Reform</a>, to Members of the Arkansas State Senate this bill could put Arkansas at risk of legal action, circumvents the law and negatively impacts in-state business, just what we need given the current economic state. </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">I am wondering why the Attorney General has not stepped in to speak against this particular bill given his consistent concern over the state being sued for other bills. Why just yesterday his office spoke against SB709, which failed to make it through committee, sighting that it might place the state in a situation of litigation. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">SB709 would have given transparency to Arkansans when dealing with the implementation of Obamacare here in Arkansas. Read more about yesterday's shenanigans <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/03/locomotive-speeds-through-arkansas.html">here</a>. </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 25px;">Here is the entire letter sent to Arkansas Senators by Grover Norquist: </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 1.8em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I write in strong opposition to establishing an affiliate nexus Internet tax in Arkansas under Senate Bill 738. The bill’s intent is to require out-of-state retailers to collect and remit sales tax on products purchased online by residents. However, the realistic outcome of this legislation will do more to negatively impact in-state businesses than it will to level the playing field.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Current jurisprudence, under the Supreme Court’s ruling in Quill v. North Dakota, requires a business to have a physical presence in a state in order for the state to compel that business to collect sales taxes. SB 738 attempts to circumvent this law and require out-of-state retailers to collect tax by presuming a company has a presence if 1) business is solicited through a third-party affiliate in the state, or 2) it is part of a “controlled group of corporations” with another one based the state. </span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This bill flies in the face of the Supreme Court’s ruling and could bring a lawsuit to Arkansas at a time when the same tax is already undergoing legal challenge in New York.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Senate Bill 738 could inadvertently punish Arkansas advertisers and other businesses. This tax expands the definition of doing business to include an out-of-state retailer that has an affiliate in Arkansas. If having an affiliate in Arkansas creates a nexus for out-of-state retailers, these retailers will likely terminate advertising or other agreements with Arkansas businesses. This is precisely what has happened when similar legislation passed in other states, such as Rhode Island and North Carolina.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If online retailers sever nexus to avoid the tax change, the state will not raise revenue. In fact, should this bill pass and online retailers sever contracts, 1,800 advertising affiliates in Arkansas will lose business and the state will lose the $9 million in state income tax that these affiliates pay.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are two potential outcomes. If SB 738 is scored assuming no online retailer severs their in-state ties, the bill will be a tax increase that raises revenue and Americans for Tax Reform considers it a violation of the Taxpayer Protection Pledge. If SB 738 is scored to not raise revenue, it assumes out-of-state retailers will sever their ties with Arkansas businesses, causing them and the state to lose revenue without leveling the playing field between brick-and-mortar and online retailers. This is no contradiction – it simply depends on how economic actors react to the tax change. Regardless, both of these outcomes make for bad tax policy, and the more likely outcome makes the intent of this legislation – leveling the playing field – irrelevant.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For these reasons, the affiliate nexus Internet tax has been rightly rejected in at least 14 other states. We urge you to reject Senate Bill 738. If you have any questions, please contact Kelly William Cobb at (202) 785-0266.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> Onward,</span></blockquote><blockquote></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Grover Norquist<br />
President, Americans for Tax Reform</span></blockquote><br />
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</div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-60333616292231314212011-03-10T20:57:00.000-06:002011-03-10T20:57:38.119-06:00New Shale Caucus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i-cflz8fRazMJKRn4jt9-RvgLQ0GuxUdy6UCmUMLK0aZoWCHceDK_2fD194huQSEdiQmq6kQUWkl2D2y2VowsrXnVpdJagXlEw2giGAznJ_QDb-kXofGzSgZYQ6P4oI7OIJrHeyBqMU/s1600/fayetteville_shale_mapsetup001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8i-cflz8fRazMJKRn4jt9-RvgLQ0GuxUdy6UCmUMLK0aZoWCHceDK_2fD194huQSEdiQmq6kQUWkl2D2y2VowsrXnVpdJagXlEw2giGAznJ_QDb-kXofGzSgZYQ6P4oI7OIJrHeyBqMU/s320/fayetteville_shale_mapsetup001.jpg" width="315" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A new bi-partisan caucus has formed in the Arkansas Legislature. The <a href="http://www.google.com/search?source=ig&hl=en&rlz=&q=what+is+the+fayetteville+shale&aq=1v&aqi=g-v2&aql=&oq=what+is+the+fayette">Fayetteville Shale</a> Caucus is made up of 16 legislators (there are others joining) that want to protect the economic well-being of the Fayetteville<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> </span>shale from potentially damaging legislation.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Arkansas Democrat Gazette reported <a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/mar/10/legislators-form-shale-caucus/">today </a>that "there have been 27 bills filed that would affect natural gas drilling in the state, many of them by Rep. Kathy Webb of Little Rock<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span>."</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The article also printed this statement issued from the Caucus:</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“We all have issues that our constituents want addressed. Sometimes, however, people file bills with good intent that effect the lives and jobs of people not in their district. It’s become pretty clear the Fayetteville Shale Play has become a target for a lot of recent legislation. The Fayetteville Shale is an economic engine that we must protect. Our goal is to protect the economic impact of the affected counties while working with the industry folks to encourage good corporate citizenship. We think we can do that without a ton of legislation. Hopefully, the people will appreciate the bi-partisan cooperation and the unity between members of different chambers.</span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We, and many of our colleagues, agree that we need to send the right message to the business community that we appreciate their business and can find ways to work pro-actively through issues. The Fayetteville Shale Play is important to the long-term economic future of our districts and also the State ofArkansas<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span>. We are confident this will be a constructive working group that will strengthen the relationship between this important industry and the people of Arkansas.”</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> <a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/HIGHWAYS-PRISONS-AND-A-NEW-CAUCUS/1613/">TalkBusiness</a> had this to say about the new Shale Caucus:</span></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Shale Caucus could face their first test tomorrow morning in House Insurance and Commerce. HB 1992, which would eliminate a severance tax reduction for "high-cost" wells, is expected to be considered. The bill could threaten drilling activity in the region, in part due to the low price of natural gas in the commodities markets. More details on that bill and an interview with Southwestern Energy executive Mark Boling, who discusses the economics of drilling as well as some interesting comments on the mystery of earthquake activity in Arkansas, <a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/NAT-GAS-EXEC-RAISING-SEVERANCE-TAX-IS-THE-WRONG-THING-FOR-ARKANSAS-/1609/" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong>at this link</strong></a></span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Members of the Caucus include: </span><br />
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Mark Biviano (R-Searcy)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Robert Dale (R-Dover)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Jane English (R-North Little Rock<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></span>)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Jeremy Gillam (R-Judsonia)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Andrea Lea (R-Russellville)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Josh Johnston (R-Rose Bud)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Stephen Meeks (R-Greenbrier)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative David Meeks (R-Conway)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative David Sanders (R-Little Rock)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Tommy Thompson<span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"> </span>(D-Morrilton)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Representative Linda Tyler (D-Conway)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Gilbert Baker (R-Conway)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Jonathan Dismang (R-Beebe)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Michael Lamoureux (R-Russellville)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator Jason Rapert (R-Bigelow)</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0.8em; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">State Senator David Wyatt (D-Batesville)</span></div><br />
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</div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-67111436662392023392011-03-09T16:58:00.001-06:002011-03-09T19:19:55.566-06:00Locomotive Speeds Through Arkansas Capitol<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA26pwN8Ffrk6o8JUL8n_MknQjrH5ftbFH2CQV5f-nTQl-5SO2e5deru8n9xjzNkR0lPNdaGb5wM39c6YaU9WcUc7XpyM-P0Mo8IfYk5q7j_xaWwsn5ey4usK9uDQDJopnXjXOgTtp_w/s1600/train.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="282" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhjA26pwN8Ffrk6o8JUL8n_MknQjrH5ftbFH2CQV5f-nTQl-5SO2e5deru8n9xjzNkR0lPNdaGb5wM39c6YaU9WcUc7XpyM-P0Mo8IfYk5q7j_xaWwsn5ey4usK9uDQDJopnXjXOgTtp_w/s400/train.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">WOW! Did anyone else out here notice that locomotive that roared full-bore through the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=430">Senate Public Health Committee</a> today, as SB709 was set for a visit?<br />
<br />
As the engineer (Chairman), Senator Percy Malone, grabbed for the whistle to get the train movin,’ people filed in like slabs of beef in a refrigerator car until there wasn’t an inch of space to spare.<br />
<br />
It was quite evident from the strike of the gavel that Chairman Malone was going to ensure a fair and balanced debate this morning…NOT (This means I’m kidding).<br />
<br />
The meeting hadn’t gotten a full head of steam when Malone suggested time limits for each side. If he’d had it his way, it was evident to me the committee would’ve passed this stop all together. The meeting began at 10 a.m. and was over just shy of 11, with more than a dozen folks slated to speak. So much for open and reasonable debate in conducting the people’s bidness.<br />
<br />
I’ll not belabor the blow-by-blow. However two people I spoke with after the meeting, who had traveled from out of state just to testify for this particular bill, were shocked at the way things went.<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.alec.org/AM/Template.cfm?Section=Christie_Herrera">Christie Herrera</a>, Director Health and Human Services <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299709132_2">Task Force</span> at the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299709132_3">American Legislative Exchange Council</span> (ALEC), and <a href="http://www.heartland.org/about/profileresults.html?profile=D0E3F0FC52617DB8BA79AD0B10F4FE3F&directory=0490F571009CFDBBCAA4E62B8A3EBAE2">John Nothdurft</a>, Director of Government Relations for the <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299709132_5">Heartland Institute</span> both travel extensively to testify before legislative bodies all over the country. They shared with me that, in their experience, neither had felt so “railroaded” before. They each recognized quickly that the committee meeting was nothing more than a formality to a predestined end, regardless of what expertise they each brought to the table. In other words, my friends, the thing had been all planned out beforehand.<br />
<br />
It was no surprise that the Attorney General’s office showed to testify against the bill, as did a few other government agencies, to which one observer said and was later tweeted by @AFPArkansas: “What happened today was as follows: the gov’t lobbying the gov't for more gov't.” No truer synopsis of the day.<br />
</span><br />
<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The end of the tracks for SB709 was a </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299709132_6">split vote</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=430">4-4</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> straight down party lines.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
The bug slinger here was Senator <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299709132_7"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Burnett">David Burnett</a></span> (D-Osceola) who, up until today’s steamrolling, was considered relatively conservative. He ran last November unopposed, I somehow doubt that happens again.<br />
<br />
I’m sure the fact that this is Governor Beebe’s pet project had nothing to do with the speed at which engineer Malone ran his locomotive through today’s session. But as with all speeding trains at some point there is a stop. And it can be ugly to watch.<br />
<br />
That’s when passengers that have been riding along for long time without feeling appreciated or respected can become quite disgruntled. That usually means they search for find a new carrier who will listen to them and give a whistle about meeting their needs and concerns.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="apple-style-span">My hope and prayer is that this happens well before this high velocity engine jumps the tracks, leaving untold numbers of Arkansans among the carnage and wreckage. </span><o:p></o:p></span></div></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">As a side note here is a statement released today on this issue from our Lt. Governor Mark Darr:</span></div><div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><blockquote style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"I appreciate Senator Missy Irvin’s efforts today to help bring to light the cost of implementing the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA). Senate Bill 709, would have provided to the legislature as well as Arkansans the total cost of this act to our state, how many individuals will directly be affected and the consequences of not implementing it. As a candidate I traveled the state talking about the importance of government transparency and spoke openly against government mandated healthcare. Senator Irvin’s bill would have simply provided the accountability and transparency citizens demand from our Government. We all have the right to better understand how PPACA is going to affect each and every one of us. I applaud the four Senators who voted for this bill in committee as well as the many citizens who lined the hallways, placed calls and emails in support of this bill.”</span></blockquote><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Other articles you may want to read on the issue:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://tolbertreport.com/2011/03/09/sen-irvins-senate-committee-showdown/">http://tolbertreport.com/2011/03/09/sen-irvins-senate-committee-showdown/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/ALL-EYES-TURN-TO-FEDERAL-HEALTH-CARE-AGAIN-UPDATED-/1600/">http://talkbusiness.net/article/ALL-EYES-TURN-TO-FEDERAL-HEALTH-CARE-AGAIN-UPDATED-/1600/</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><span style="line-height: 115%;"><a href="http://www.curtiscolemaninstitute.com/blog1/?p=1585"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">http://www.curtiscolemaninstitute.com/blog1/?p=1585</span></a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Verdana, Helvetica, Arial; font-size: 12px;"><br />
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</span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-55849336228569659502011-03-09T08:51:00.000-06:002011-03-09T08:51:20.344-06:00Arkansas Flagship For Obamacare~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxOFMj-ped71EF3DBdwi3JRJyMdI19zh5RPigoYyniC3AhesTRRG_jf4up1d-PXwd4tKoIVSdlGf9BAetZ8k0J9zfpHq_QLtj8gzdEOIQceI8zi1pWY-g2IM6uu4w1j9OtWWP0mqnR_s/s1600/obamacare-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="242" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjsxOFMj-ped71EF3DBdwi3JRJyMdI19zh5RPigoYyniC3AhesTRRG_jf4up1d-PXwd4tKoIVSdlGf9BAetZ8k0J9zfpHq_QLtj8gzdEOIQceI8zi1pWY-g2IM6uu4w1j9OtWWP0mqnR_s/s320/obamacare-1.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There are tons of questions and assertions flying around about the latest brouhaha at the Little Rock Capitol~ Obama Care coming to Little Rock.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Evidently Governor Mike Beebe has decided to present his own form of healthcare reform. It is no secret that Gov. Beebe has had visions of Medicaid dollars dancing in his head. One should be careful what they wish for~he has found himself under the thumb of Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius and, thus, President Obama.<span><br />
</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">"In conjunction with Medicare, Arkansas Blue Cross and BlueShield, and private insurance plans, Arkansas Medicaid will design and then implement the nation's first statewide payment-reform initiative. The initiative will pay partnerships of local providers to act as health homes." This is an excerpt from a letter released from the Governor's office. (Full Doc <a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/assets/files/AR%20Medicaid%20Transformation%20Proposal.pdf">here</a>)</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today will be the first in likely many battle that Arkansans will face in the future to win the war of Capitalism vs. Socialsim in the world of healthcare. Sen. Missy Irvin will be presenting SB709 - "An Act to Create the Healthcare Reform Accountability Act." You may also like to read that bill by <a href="http://staging.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2011/public/SB709.pdf" style="color: #008c95; text-decoration: none;">clicking here</a>. This is a major step toward real transparency and accountability of healthcare in Arkansas.</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">More articles on the matter</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/GOVERNOR-S-MEDICAID-REFORM-ENCOUNTERING-APPREHENSION/1598/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="headline" style="color: #3f74a6; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">GOVERNOR'S MEDICAID REFORM ENCOUNTERING APPREHENSION</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></span></a></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 1em;"><a href="http://arkansasgopwing.blogspot.com/2011/03/arkansas-gov-beebe-seeks-to-be-first.html" name="1" rel="nofollow" target="_blank" title="http://arkansasgopwing.blogspot.com/2011/03/arkansas-gov-beebe-seeks-to-be-first.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Aarkansas Gov. Beebe Seeks To Be First State To Implement ObamaCare</span></a></div><div style="color: #555555; font-family: Georgia, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 13px; line-height: 18px; margin-bottom: 3px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 9px;"><br />
</div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-23176790165504067722011-03-08T07:31:00.000-06:002011-03-08T07:31:29.521-06:00Ready or Not Here They Come<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This was made in a hurry so please excuse any typos, on the road and trying to keep up~</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Yesterday was the last day for legislators to file bills and nearly 500 bills were filed leaving the total at close to 2400 for the session. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I saw a great point made on twitter yesterday~ </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">"Are we under-governed, or were previous <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" title="arleg">#arleg</a>'s so inept that we need 300 bills filed in one day?" This was made at 3pm, so as you can see they used every last minute.</span></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>On the Healthcare Front</u></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Stay tuned today for major news on Arkansas Healthcare- Check my facebook -Laurie Lee Masterson or follow on Twitter @LaurieMasterson #ARLeg</b></span><br />
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<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Irvin">Senator Missy Irvin</a> has authored a<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb709"> SB709</a> that concerns Federal Mandates on the Obama Healthcare bill. This bill would make it mandatory for the Feds to disclose how your money is being spent, where it is being spent and where the monies came from. This bill will be heard on Wednesday- You need to be there<br />
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<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=J.%20Dismang">Senator Dismang</a> filed <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb593">SB593</a> is on the Senate Public Health Committee agenda could be heard today. This would allow an employer you could benefit from modifying the rules for unemployment insurance.</span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></span></b><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><u></u></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Legislative Odds and Ends from <a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/LEGISLATIVE-ODDS-amp-ENDS/1594/">Talk Business</a>:</u></b></span><br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Monday was one of the busiest days of the</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">88th Arkansas General Assembly</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">as 304 House bills were filed and 192 Senate bills met the deadline. In total, there are 2,234 bills being debated this session and that doesn't include any resolutions, which do eat up committee and floor time.</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Today, the Governor's prison bill cleared a</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Senate Judiciary Committee<b> </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">with ease. As indicated in a previous post, this bill may be signed into law by next week. FYI,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Kelly MacNeil</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">with our content partner,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">KUAR-FM 89 News</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">,</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><a href="http://www.kuar.org/kuarnews/15947-high-hopes-for-prisons-overhaul.html" style="color: #ad0d01; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"><strong><span style="color: blue;">highlights a prisoner</span></strong></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">who could have been helped at some point if the changes under consideration were enacted. (<a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/LEGISLATIVE-ODDS-amp-ENDS/1594/">read more...</a>)</span></span></blockquote><br />
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<tr><td align="left" colspan="1" rowspan="1"><div style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">News on Unemployment</span></u></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"> </span></div><div style="color: #333333; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: x-small;"><br />
</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If you didn't know Arkansas' unemployment trust fund drowning in debt, we have borrowed as much as $400 million in the short term and our unemployment woes are not going away any time soon. <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=J.%20Dismang">Senator Dismang</a> and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Carter">Representative Carter</a> have filed bills restructure unemployment benefits for Arkansans (<a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/HB1728.pdf">HB1728</a> and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Bills/SB593.pdf">SB593</a>). <br />
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According to the <a href="http://www.rogerslowell.com/govtaffairs/">Rogers Chamber</a>, "it is widely anticipated that the federal government will increase the federal wage base on employers. Therefore, passage of state legislation would be the first step in reducing outflows from the fund. The legislation removes indexing of benefits, restricts qualifications, and slightly reduces the length of benefits paid by the state. Current projections estimate that employers will have to pay $21 per employee more in 2012 and $42 more in 2013 to repay the debt to the federal government. This outlay might be reduced with passage of these two bills.</span><div style="color: #333333; font-family: Tahoma, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 10pt; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
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</tbody></table>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-59687591750953416492011-03-06T08:15:00.001-06:002011-03-06T08:17:09.634-06:00Letting Capital Prompt Gains~ Capital Gains Tax Cut~<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48I6OP8akJ7xuXa-pjTHhMoeZHpQ9dRpHFrfgDfkiYTbuSB0DM_FFuBtBpp2ltNb5uvuXe2ua4s0hXYiP5CVbw2gAvDd3drsZEVpfR7FRmn1mBrkmX7O3l2bvXbVKsE__QIMutBnyvF4/s1600/sl_burdens_map-20110223-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="235" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj48I6OP8akJ7xuXa-pjTHhMoeZHpQ9dRpHFrfgDfkiYTbuSB0DM_FFuBtBpp2ltNb5uvuXe2ua4s0hXYiP5CVbw2gAvDd3drsZEVpfR7FRmn1mBrkmX7O3l2bvXbVKsE__QIMutBnyvF4/s400/sl_burdens_map-20110223-1.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Let’s kick this off with explaining what a<i> capital gain</i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> even is in the world of taxation. It was brought to my attention the other day that many people don't have a clue what the term means. It does have one of those foggy, generalized sounds that conjures not a single image.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">A capital gain is simply what the tax law calls the profit you receive when you sell a </span>capital asset, which is property such as stocks, bonds, mutual fund shares and a business that constitutes real estate. This doesn’t include your primary residence by the way.<br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">There already is a federal capital gains tax<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">, which means that even without an additional state version, you will pay at least 10% (and as much as 36%) on a short-term capital gain (less than a year) regardless of your home state. </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;">But if you’re a business owner or someone who owns real estate, or has invested his money and lives in the state of Arkansas , you’ll also be forking over another average of 4.9 percent on the sale. </span><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I should point out again at this point that Arkansas is one of the nation's least business friendly states, coming it </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/files/bp60.pdf">at 39th</a>. We are the <a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/taxdata/show/442.html">14th highest in state and local tax burden at 9.8% </a> and <a href="http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/ACSSAFFFacts?_event=Search&geo_id=01000US&_geoContext=01000US&_street=&_county=&_cityTown=&_state=04000US05&_zip=&_lang=en&_sse=on&ActiveGeoDiv=geoSelect&_useEV=&pctxt=fph&pgsl=010&_submenuId=factsheet_1&ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_SAFF&_ci_nbr=&qr_name=&reg=:&_keyword=&_industry=">Arkansans make $13,000 less</a> than the national average median income. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our neighbor states (see map above) are kicking our Razorback hindquarters , and <a href="http://recenter.tamu.edu/econ/">Texas</a>, our arch sports rival is growing in business because they have figured out how to attract, rather than repel new businesses that spell additional new jobs. Those Longhorn folks, along with other neighboring Southern states, realize that eliminating their capital gains taxes is just good for business growth.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">According to the Tax Foundation's Background Paper: <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #00335d; font-size: 19px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 21px;"><a href="http://www.taxfoundation.org/research/show/22658.html">2011 State Business Tax Climate Index </a></span><br />
</span></div><div><blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">A far more effective approach is to systematically improve the business tax climate for the long term so as to improve the state's competitiveness. When assessing which changes to make, lawmakers need to remember these two rules:<br />
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<ul><li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Taxes matter to business. Business taxes affect business decisions, job creation and retention, plant location, competitiveness, the transparency of the tax system, and the long-term health of a state's economy. Most importantly, taxes diminish profits. If taxes take a larger portion of profits, that cost is passed along to either consumers (through higher prices), workers (through lower wages or fewer jobs), or shareholders (through lower dividends or share value). Thus a state with lower tax costs will be more attractive to business investment, and more likely to experience economic growth.</span></i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"> </span></span></i></li>
<i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></i></ul></blockquote><blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></i><br />
<ul><li><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-style: normal;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">States do not enact tax changes (increases or cuts) in a vacuum. Every tax law will in some way change a state's competitive position relative to its immediate neighbors, its geographic region, and even globally. Ultimately it will affect the state's national standing as a place to live and to do business. Entrepreneurial states can take advantage of the tax increases of their neighbors to lure businesses out of high-tax states.</span></i></span></span></i></li>
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Columnist Mike Masterson, (full disclosure) my husband, described in his <a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/mar/05/another-view-20110305/">column </a>yesterday this very scenario: </span><br />
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<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">[A] reader told me that in 1991 an Arkansas banker he knew prepared to sell his bank holding company to another in-state, start-up bank holding business. Before the transaction occurred, the seller moved to a neighboring state that had no a capital gains tax on a business sale. This meant that he legally avoided paying capital gains and income taxes.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Six years later, the same holding company was bought out by another in-state bank that was, in turn, was bought by another, all in fairly short order.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Those were stock exchange and tax-free gains until a shareholder sold his shares in the open market,” the reader wrote. “As a director and shareholder of the original purchasing bank, I bought as much stock in the bank as I could.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">When the time came for him to sell and pay capital gains, he’d already left Arkansas and saved a hefty chunk by avoiding capital gains taxes on the sale. He still holds a fair amount of stock in another bank after selling half of it while living in his new home state. Once again, he paid nocapital gains taxes because he didn’t have to.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another of his friends in Arkansas owned a professional firm that he wound up selling. He also bought a home and moved to another state without any capital gains tax before the sale was complete. Cha-ching!</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Arkansas has lost quite a bit in sales and ordinary income taxes from just from us,” the reader. “Arkansas definitely needs to have this bill passed.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Any questions so far? I hope the need for HB 1002 is becoming much clearer for our oddly resistant governor and any legislators who, inexplicably, oppose the measure, which could help attract businesses and jobs to our state.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Successful politicians find it best to vote for improving Arkansas and its people rather than engaging in or knuckling under to self-serving oleboy politics.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I’m confident that the other Arkansas businessman and I made our moves to preserve those moneys forour heirs and our select charities,” said this reader, who’s approaching his 70th birthday. “No one did it for personal lavishness. We didn’t want or need to do that. There are a great many like us whose other taxes and contributions Arkansas has missed out on because of its current tax structure.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“I want to be sure to leave my family enough to live on and enough to cover almost any adverse health events,” he continued. “My state now has no income, capital gains tax, estate or death taxes. Were Arkansas close to that, I’d live in the River Valley until I die. As is, I live here.” Ole-boy politics.</span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is an important bill for Arkansas families and attracting Arkansas businesses. Get the facts and contact the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=450" style="text-decoration: none;">Senate Revenue and Tax committee members, </a> ask them to grow jobs NOT government~ </span> </span><br />
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<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Senators Lamoureux, Files, Sample and Williams have already committed to a YES vote.</span></span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><br />
</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please contact Senators <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Teague" style="text-decoration: none;">Teague</a>, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=J.%20Taylor" style="text-decoration: none;">Taylor</a>, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=L.%20Chesterfield" style="text-decoration: none;">Chesterfield</a> and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Bookout" style="text-decoration: none;">Bookout</a> </span></span></div> </blockquote><br />
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</span></div></div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-57805807119832394422011-03-04T17:01:00.001-06:002011-03-04T17:05:23.310-06:00The Cartel~<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It is no secret that America's public education system is in deep kimchi and that billions and billions of dollars are being thrown at that problem every year.</span><br />
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</span></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9laIP9_SZlTMMUoE-MYyTHUz3S5pJ-l8u1rHo-9ukvtBz7xFwRmYOLhYiFdSsUEy2PpgGnFvpDI0yYC0O30nKWw4uDoIrWPoeVNZUKlK3PUKbs_C1pirWbzOhl0WvAdppeUOSv9CbbF8/s1600/iphone+045.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9laIP9_SZlTMMUoE-MYyTHUz3S5pJ-l8u1rHo-9ukvtBz7xFwRmYOLhYiFdSsUEy2PpgGnFvpDI0yYC0O30nKWw4uDoIrWPoeVNZUKlK3PUKbs_C1pirWbzOhl0WvAdppeUOSv9CbbF8/s200/iphone+045.JPG" width="200" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Last night Americans For Prosperity Foundation sponsored a viewing of the movie <a href="http://www.thecartelmovie.com/cgi-local/content.cgi?g=27">The Cartel</a> to a packed house in Springdale. The movie "<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">shows us our educational system like we've never seen it before." </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;"><br />
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</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 24px;">We were privileged to also have Dr. Patrick Wolf , </span>Professor and <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299268586_4" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; cursor: pointer;">21st Century</span> Endowed Chair in <span class="yshortcuts" id="lw_1299268586_5" style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; border-bottom-color: initial; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: initial; cursor: pointer;">School Choice from </span>the University of Arkansas attend and share with us some of the information he has spent years compiling with regards to school choice.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Dr. Wolf shared these facts:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 0.25in;"></div><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since 1970, real spending on public education in the U.S. has more than doubled, yet student test scores on the NAEP over that same period have not improved</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The U.S. spends the most per-pupil on public schooling among all of the countries of the world, yet we recently ranked only tied for 12th in reading, 17th in science, and a miserable 25th in math among 34 developed countries</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Currently we spend an average of over $10,000 per public-school pupil across the U.S. and $9,112 in our otherwise low-cost state of Arkansas, yet only 7 of 10 students in our country and our state even graduate from high school</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Over half of the freshmen who enroll at our state's flagship public university require remediation before taking serious college courses</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Public charter schools receive an average of 40% less public funding than TPS but produce results that are as good or better</span></li>
</ul><ul><li><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Private schools participating in school voucher programs receive an average of 50% less public funding than TPS and, like public charter schools, produce results that are as good and often better</span></li>
</ul><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This begs the question why does our public school system spend so much money to achieve such disappointing results? <br />
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Dr. Wolf says one possible explanation examined in this award-winning film is the cartel behavior of the national teachers unions <br />
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He added, "Although many public school teachers are dedicated to working hard to educate our children, the teachers unions that represent them are all too often the force that says "no" regarding such common-sense reforms such as performance pay, firing incompetent teachers, expanded learning days, and parental school choice."</span><br />
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</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> </span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.youtube.com/embed/gzIfTmD8UUc?feature=player_embedded' frameborder='0'></iframe></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">We will be hosting viewings around the state over the next several months please visit <a href="http://www.americansforprosperity.org/arkansas">http://www.americansforprosperity.org/arkansas</a> to keep track of where we are.</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Our next showing will be in Nashville, AR Tuesday March 8th~ go <a href="http://nashvillecartel.eventbrite.com/">here</a> for details </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="font-family: sans-serif; margin-left: 0.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 21px;"><br />
</span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-35815603017794467742011-03-02T17:54:00.000-06:002011-03-02T17:54:51.903-06:00Bills You Just Won't Believe- It Ain't Pretty<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKje1vyurbdogYsajSBatPtRv_CnrFwOWJWaVi6uIgv5IGt02Eg-FVgmr26QUww74wafKY8Xj_iR-fcOB7qAln3WZNhkxoc9eCn3HOwrToEAGmQ6oUrmuwMKHfD9b3a_05F9IkiLDVrQ/s1600/hamb-temp-2.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDKje1vyurbdogYsajSBatPtRv_CnrFwOWJWaVi6uIgv5IGt02Eg-FVgmr26QUww74wafKY8Xj_iR-fcOB7qAln3WZNhkxoc9eCn3HOwrToEAGmQ6oUrmuwMKHfD9b3a_05F9IkiLDVrQ/s320/hamb-temp-2.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For the love of everything good and holy! </span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Do you have any idea some of the poppycock that is being filed on your time and money at our Capitol?</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">If I hadn't read it for myself I can say I surely would not~ </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=G.%20Smith">Rep.Gary Smith's</a> (D-Camden) has filed <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1625">HB1625</a> which completely prohibits Pee Wee sports practice if temp or heat index is over 85 degrees. Doesn't that cut out about 7 months here in Arkansas.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then there is the Hamburger Bill (</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sb408">SB408</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">) filed by </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=P.%20Malone">Senator Percy Malone</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> (D-Arkadelphia) states that a restaurant that sells hamburger meat that has not been heated to at least 155° F for at least fifteen seconds place a disclaimer on their menu. There are more like these and even more absurd if you can imagine. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I heard <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Rice">Rep Terry Rice</a> (R- Waldron) say the other day something to the affect that if we keep passing these kinds of bills he is going to just go lay in his bed and hope that an airplane does not crash into in home and kill him. LOL.. I have to agree. Are we going to regulate or ban everything that someone has been injured or killed from. Drinking water, eating grapes, BREATHING~ </span><br />
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How in the world do legislators plan on implementing and enforcing these laws? Want to know the repercussions of the sports law~ "If a coach violates this section, the parent of a child who is a member of the team is entitled to a full refund of all fees and costs associated with the registration of the child for the pee-wee athletic organization for that season." WHAT? Well that oughta stop it!</span><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And the Hamburger law? There is no penalty described in the bill... ARGGGG </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is a waste of tax payer time and money. There are now over 1541 bills that have been filed and more are streaming in everyday. These are laws and regulations that make decisions for your family and mine. Where we live, if we can open a business, food we can eat, for heaven sakes when our kids can practice sports!</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">It will take you and I both calling and being involved to get this type stuff stopped~ GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED~ </span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-57630499018962637792011-03-02T12:01:00.000-06:002011-03-02T12:01:26.380-06:00Tax Cut Bills Causin a Rucus<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEOi9jeIjI03Ui4ewurEDN82AfGSTLxo7t_mtCCbpFDwf68yCHTn8CHm5uaWtb53flTfxFwPdErwfGlx2ZKs17fUkUuBsQ0fLGqvYRt20jDv-DlbqPLvph3gM5j5kTp7c9oTyeHksQ00/s1600/taxcutbattle.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrEOi9jeIjI03Ui4ewurEDN82AfGSTLxo7t_mtCCbpFDwf68yCHTn8CHm5uaWtb53flTfxFwPdErwfGlx2ZKs17fUkUuBsQ0fLGqvYRt20jDv-DlbqPLvph3gM5j5kTp7c9oTyeHksQ00/s320/taxcutbattle.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For those of you that like a good ball game or inclined to like dramas you will not want to miss what is going on in the Arkansas Legislature right now. The Arkansas House has passed 4 tax cutting bills (sponsored by House Republicans), the Senate has passed 3 (sponsored by Senate Republicans), all 7 bills are sitting in the opposing house and tensions are building.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Today in the Senate Tax & Revenue Committee <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1369">HB1369</a> (Back to School Tax Holiday Bill) failed. Rep Justin Harris tweeted that the Democrats on that committee were at the root of the failure. </span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i></i></span></span></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><b>Rep Justin Harris~</b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 0px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 0px; line-height: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i><span class="messageBody" style="line-height: 14px;">AR Dems on Rev and Tax voted down the Back to School Tax Holiday! Wow, the people will speak loudly in 2012! Not helping working families through tax cuts is a huge mistake!</span></i></span></span></span></i></span></blockquote><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">On the 18th of February I posted </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">~<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/02/minority-majority.html">Tax Nazi Loses to Minority Majority</a>~ pointing out that the Governor has made is quite clear the only tax cut he endorses this session is his Grocery Tax cut. His wishes may soon come to fruition, the political tensions are mounting. </span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;">To spice things up a little <a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/REPUBLICANS-SPLIT-ON-TAX-CUT-STRATEGY/1569/">Talk Business reported </a>today that Rep Davy Carter will be adding to the mix: </span></span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">"It has long been a goal of</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">House Revenue and Tax Committee chairman Rep. Davy Carter (R-Cabot)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">to systematically over a multi-year period restructure the rates on personal income taxes.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Carter</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">and</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">Sen. Jonathan Dismang (R-Searcy)</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;">are filing a bill on Wednesday to shift those brackets" (<a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/REPUBLICANS-SPLIT-ON-TAX-CUT-STRATEGY/1569/">read more...</a>)</span></span></blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The next few weeks of the 88th General Assembly will prove to be very exciting, it would be the perfect time for the citizens of our fair state to contact and communicate with their elected officials. Let them know we are not interested in political shenanigans but in what is best for the families and business of Arkansas and that we expect them to take into account our input and to do their due diligence in determining what that is and vote accordingly </span><br />
<blockquote> </blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 18px;"><br />
</span></span>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-63176997246073647522011-03-02T10:04:00.000-06:002011-03-02T10:04:49.459-06:00Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b><img src="http://www.hansardsociety.org.uk/blogs/recent_events/education-books-politics-thumb6701979.jpg" /></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Watch Arkansas Legislators now live </b></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>here </b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>-></b></span><a href="http://www.arkansashouse.org/event/16915">http://www.arkansashouse.org/event/16915</a><br />
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<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-large;">Redistricting Moves Fayetteville~</span></u></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; font-weight: normal; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From Talk Business~ </span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="headline" style="font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">REDISTRICTING PLAN MEETS 3RD DISTRICT RESISTANCE</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"> </span></u></span><br />
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<blockquote><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">The discussion about redistricting includes a plan that would place Fayetteville within the same Congressional District as Pine Bluff and Texarkana.</span></span></span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Seriously.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Gerrymandering, anyone?</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">And a few business leaders in Fort Smith, thinking 2020 might bring a fifth Congressional District to the state, aren’t sure if they want to lobby to keep Sebastian County in the 3rd District or push to move it to the 4th District.</span></span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; line-height: 18px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">This is not an early April Fools story. (<a href="http://www.talkbusiness.net/article/REDISTRICTING-PLAN-MEETS-3RD-DISTRICT-RESISTANCE/1567/">Read more...</a>)</span></span></span></blockquote><br />
<b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;">It's All About the Numbers </span></u></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><b class="storyHeader" style="font-weight: bold; text-transform: capitalize;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">From Arkansas Business~<u>DFand A: February Revenue Up 18 Percent From Last Year, 15 Percent Above Forecast</u></span></b></span></b><br />
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<blockquote style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">The Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration said Wednesday that Arkansas' February net available general revenue rose 18 percent above last year and 15 percent above forecast.<br />
Click <a href="http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/news/print_editions/February-2011-DFA-rev.pdf" style="color: #62789a; font-weight: normal;" target="_blank">here</a> (PDF) to download the complete report.</span></blockquote><br />
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<img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0ulb62nDOZnN8Kk6inKaXwNR5pJZwiogYdyyq5qakDrCf7CvwqyNM26N7tpWXJZKRp4fivWnv7rdTNgMzLjw7DqnrqbnVuA4vgz0AmQtC404HvF3qau-i0bMoAg6HcL5SDIK_WnX2aM/s200/twitter.jpg" /><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"><b> FEED</b></span><br />
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<div style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 24px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="border-collapse: separate; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="todaysthv"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">todaysthv</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/todaysthv/status/42970074449055744" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">9:30am via TweetDeck</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Supreme Court: Westboro Baptist Church military funeral protests protected by 1st amendment<a href="http://bit.ly/hddBlQ" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/hddBlQ</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/hddBlQ" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> M: <a href="http://bit.ly/g1oSYf" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/g1oSYf</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/g1oSYf" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a></div><br />
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</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="border-collapse: separate; display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arsenirvin">ARSenIrvin</a></span><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ARSenIrvin/status/42973905442451456" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">9:45am via HootSuite</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">RT @<a class="_userInfoPopup _twitter" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARGOP">ARGOP</a>: ICYMI: "Bill Filed to Require Financial Impact Report of Federal Healthcare Law" SB 709 by @<a class="_userInfoPopup _twitter" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARSenIrvin">ARSenIrvin</a> <a href="http://ow.ly/46oh6" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://ow.ly/46oh6</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://ow.ly/46oh6" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arleg">#arleg</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="argop">#argop</a></div><br />
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</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="border-collapse: separate; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arkansasonline"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">ArkansasOnline</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ArkansasOnline/status/42963003771060224" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">9:02am via twitterfeed</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="border-collapse: separate; clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Oil jumps above $100 per barrel: Oil prices have topped $100 per barrel as the New York Mercantile Exchange open... <a href="http://bit.ly/e1qwM6" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/e1qwM6</a></div><br />
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</div><div style="border-collapse: collapse; font-weight: normal; line-height: 24px;"> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="border-collapse: separate; line-height: normal;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a></span></div><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/42958850948734976" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">8:46am via Web</span></a><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">So much for a tiger in your tank. UA researchers look to turn pond scum into fuel. <a href="http://bit.ly/eHQbIf" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/eHQbIf</a></div><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arkbusiness"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">ArkBusiness</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ArkBusiness/status/42958560992313344" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">8:44am via twitterfeed</span></a></span></b><br />
<div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Arkansas Senate Panel Looks at Sales Tax Holiday <a href="http://bit.ly/fi9UvO" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/fi9UvO</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="llmasterson"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">LLMasterson</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/LLMasterson/status/42973514113888257" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">9:44am via HootSuite</span></a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="HB1479">#HB1479</a> <a href="http://ow.ly/46ptP" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://ow.ly/46ptP</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://ow.ly/46ptP" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> law to allow handguns on Higher Ed Campuses will b heard in Education Comm. 2moro <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> Get INFORMED & ENGAGED</span></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="llmasterson"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">LMasterson</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/LLMasterson/status/42972765531287552" style="clear: left; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;">9:41am via HootSuite</span></a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Others things that may be heard in committee today~ The Sales Tax Holiday~ by Rep Shepherd HB1369 <a href="http://ow.ly/46pii" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://ow.ly/46pii</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://ow.ly/46pii" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a></span></b></div><br />
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</span></b></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-90360576975514450492011-03-01T16:05:00.000-06:002011-03-01T16:05:31.531-06:00Roll Call~<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CvHFVNATSxzA-RnpW55CkHJ9S-LVTUC3m7fWyXBySPbrH8DkT7cX4ubv3cbkSbdE4oSjJhlNbIsv7uRkFOmRSnJXow0dh8sHV3MvHPBLvaQdNcfsHZWKH-_qi8AoZRelRoRtvJgOJVg/s1600/The-Cartel-Education-Documentary-Bob-Bowdon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7CvHFVNATSxzA-RnpW55CkHJ9S-LVTUC3m7fWyXBySPbrH8DkT7cX4ubv3cbkSbdE4oSjJhlNbIsv7uRkFOmRSnJXow0dh8sHV3MvHPBLvaQdNcfsHZWKH-_qi8AoZRelRoRtvJgOJVg/s200/The-Cartel-Education-Documentary-Bob-Bowdon.jpg" width="135" /></a><br />
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NORTHWEST ARKANSAS~ If you fall into any of these categories: Parents, policymakers, education officials, reformers, intellectuals, teachers and taxpayers ~ You will not want to miss the FREE showing of "The Cartel" Thursday! <br />
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Given the chaos in WI & other states in our nation it is time for the masses to become informed & engaged~ Join us THURSDAY~ (for more info go to the eventbrite link or call 501-258-6353)<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;">Register </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 14px;"><a href="http://www.eventbrite.com/event/1374486125/efblike">Here</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Arkansas Prison Reform </u></b></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/42697601388253184" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">3:27pm via web</a></span><br />
<div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> In the end, it looks like Gov. Beebe will get his man - or men, we should say. Full story.<a href="http://bit.ly/dZQCrE" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/dZQCrE</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="headline"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #32363f;">From Talk Business~ </span></span><span class="headline" style="-webkit-border-horizontal-spacing: 5px; -webkit-border-vertical-spacing: 5px; color: black; font-weight: bold; line-height: 24px;">FINAL PRISON BILL APPEASING PROSECUTORS' CONCERNS</span></span></div><br />
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After weeks of high-profile resistance from prosecutors regarding his prison reform bill,<strong>Beebe</strong> said in a press conference today that he was "cautiously optimistic" that prosecutors would endorse his bill.<br />
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And it appears they will.<br />
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Citing "active negotiations" between prosecutors and the Governor, <strong>Henry Boyce, Prosecutor for the 3rd Judicial District and President of the Arkansas Prosecuting Attorneys Association (APAA), </strong>said that he expected his group to support the reform measure in the near future. (<a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/FINAL-PRISON-BILL-APPEASING-PROSECUTORS-CONCERNS/1563/">read more...</a>)</span> </span></span></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">What the Legislators are saying:</span></u></b></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.facebook.com/natebell">Nathan Bell</a>The House just approved raises for employees already earning more than $130000 per year. I voted against these raises. If we can't afford raises for all state employees we shouldn't grant raises to our most highly paid employees.<br />
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<a href="http://www.facebook.com/RepEdGarner">Representative Ed Garner</a> several increases in Budget appropriations were voted down on the House floor today. There is definitely a change in the Capitol. Appropriations now matter. Appropriations are line item authority to spend money. Funding determines whether or not spending increases. Funding of the Budget is accomplished by the Revenue Stabilization Act at the end of the session. What is being voted down... is even the possibility that spending could increase...by limiting the appropriation. This...is new.<br />
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<a href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#">DavidMeeks</a><a href="http://twitter.com/DavidMeeks/status/42677820824104960">2:09pm via HootSuite</a><br />
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All the appropriation bills that are not an increase in spending have been batched and passed92-0.<a href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#">#Arleg</a><br />
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<a href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#">harris4staterep</a><a href="http://twitter.com/harris4staterep/status/42673906989023232">1:53pm via Facebook</a><br />
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Voted no to staff of the House pay increase! State Employees may not get one, why should they! It passed, I am surprised!</span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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Rep Uvalde Lindsey Blog site<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">~</span><a href="http://www.uvaldelindsey.com/?p=13">http://www.uvaldelindsey.com/?p=13</a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.uvaldelindsey.com/?p=13"></a>Senator Larry Teague Blod site~ <a href="http://teaguesenate.blogspot.com/">http://teaguesenate.blogspot.com/</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://teaguesenate.blogspot.com/"></a>Rep Linda Tyler Blog site~ <a href="http://lindatyler.edelta.net/">http://lindatyler.edelta.net/</a></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://lindatyler.edelta.net/"></a>Senator Steve Harrelson blog site~ <a href="http://www.underthedome.com/">http://www.underthedome.com/</a></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><br />
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</div></div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-2991093815862794682011-03-01T15:33:00.000-06:002011-03-01T15:33:58.561-06:00More on Capital Gains~<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;"></span><br />
<div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This is an important bill for Arkansas families and Arkansas business, get the facts and contact the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=450">Senate Revenue and Tax committee members </a> ask them to grow jobs NOT government~ </span> </div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Senators Lamoureux, Files, Sample and Williams have already committed to a YES vote.</span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Please contact Senators <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Teague">Teague</a>, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=J.%20Taylor">Taylor</a>, <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=L.%20Chesterfield">Chesterfield</a> and <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Bookout">Bookout</a> </span></div><div style="font-family: 'Times New Roman'; font-size: medium; margin-bottom: 12pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-small;">(subscription required to read entire articles from Ark Dem. Gazette)</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Mike Masterson's (fully disclosure, also my husband) column today on the Capital Gains tax cut~ </span><br />
<blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Tax reform for Jobs</span></b></span></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">By <a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/staff/mike-masterson/">Mike Masterson</a>Tuesday, March 1, 2011</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="dateline">LITTLE ROCK</span> — Why should the average Arkansan give a hoot about something so seemingly mundane as eliminating a capital gains tax?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">GOP Rep. Ed Garner of Maumelle is the sponsor of such a bill, House Bill 1002, which has 40 co-sponsors. It passed in the House 53-40 and is now in the Senate.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Since Garner is the expert, I asked him why this potential law matters to everyday Arkansans. He said that the average Arkansan in our state, which has one of the country’s lowest per-capita incomes, might mistakenly think that eliminating the capital gains tax won’t mean a whit to them.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“They’d be inclined to wrongly think that eliminating this tax on new businesses will help the rich get richer while the middle class and working poor struggle to make ends meet,” he said.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Supporters say the bill will create jobs, while its opponents call it a windfall for the rich that will cause budget shortfalls, which the governor has targeted at higher education.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">But Garner said that those scare tactics aren’t true by any stretch.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“This is not the typical capital gains tax cut because HB 1002 would eliminate the capital gains tax on all ‘new’ business investments in Arkansas. There would be no reduction of the tax on existing holdings, no socalled imaginary windfall for the rich or ‘trickle-down’ debate.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Instead, for taking the risk of establishing a new business investment in Arkansas, our state won’t tax any profits the founders earn on their investment if the business is sold a year or more later.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Why do we need this reform?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Because Arkansas has a 4.9 percent capital gains tax and all but one of our surrounding states either don’t have this tax or already have eliminated all or some form of their capital gains tax for in-state investments.”</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Does this bill matter that much?</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">“Ask any corporate accountant deciding on where in the South to locate his company’s new facility, or headquarters. Better yet, ask some high-profile Arkansans who move their business they built here before selling it to avoid the tax. These folks stay gone and their investment and charitable dollars go right along with them. You bet it matters when we don’t stay competitive.”</span></blockquote><div class="story_content" style="margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><h1 class="story_headline" style="font-weight: bold; letter-spacing: -0.05em; margin-bottom: 2px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0.25em;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: small; font-weight: normal; letter-spacing: normal;">Read entire story <a href="http://epaper.arkansasonline.com/Repository/getFiles.asp?Style=OliveXLib:ArticleToMailGifMSIE&Type=text/html&Path=ArDemocrat/2011/03/01&ID=Ar01501&Locale&ChunkNum=0">here</a> </span></h1><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Another story from the <a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/">Ark Dem Gazette</a>~ This article was published <span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">February 27, 2011</span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</span></span></div><div><blockquote><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/feb/27/editorials-over-ledge-20110227/">EDITORIALS Over the Ledge Tomorrow, pigs might fly</a></b></span></i></blockquote><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><i>The House has passed a bill that would cut the state’s capital-gains tax on some property. In a state that could use every bit of capital it can get, this is good news. Now let’s let those who create jobs create even more of them. And not in surrounding states, but here at home. The governor calls this voodoo economics. So did George Herbert Walker Bush when he was running against Ronald Reagan for the Republican nomination in 1980. If faulty memory serves, Ronald Reagan’s tax policies weren’t exactly bad for the country’s economy. (</i><a href="http://www.arkansasonline.com/news/2011/feb/27/editorials-over-ledge-20110227/" style="font-style: italic;">Read more...</a><i>)</i></span></blockquote></div></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b>The Wall Street Journal Pipes In~</b></span><br />
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<h1 style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703800204576158801708676000.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">The State Business Tax Revolt</a><o:p></o:p></span></h1><h2 style="margin-top: 3.85pt;"><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span style="font-size: 9pt; line-height: 115%;">Governors get a jump on corporate tax reform</span><span style="font-size: 9pt; font-weight: normal; line-height: 115%;">.<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></h2><div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">President Obama says he wants corporate tax reform but hasn't proposed how to do it. Maybe he should take a look at the states, where as many as 10 new Governors are moving ahead to reform and reduce business taxes. The motive is to attract more businesses and create more jobs, while avoiding the fate of California and New York.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Take Iowa, which has the highest state corporate rate at 12%. Add that to the federal rate of 35%, and the Tax Foundation says the Hawkeye State may have the highest levy in the developed world. Governor Terry Branstadback ... (<a href="http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703800204576158801708676000.html?mod=googlenews_wsj">read more...</a>)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 8.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div style="line-height: 18.0pt; margin-bottom: 12.0pt; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And then there is my post from Feb 23rd, <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/02/morning-roll-call-news-you-need-to-know_23.html" style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: underline;">A Union that Get's It</a><u style="font-weight: bold;"> </u> that points to the </span></span></span></div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.ntu.org/" style="line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">National Taxpayers Union</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"> is a union I can believe in. Yesterday they sent an open letter to </span><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Teague" style="line-height: 20px; text-decoration: none;">Senator Larry Teague </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">,(D-Nashville), Chairman of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Senate Committee on Revenue & Tax, and the members of that committee.</span></span></blockquote><br />
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</span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"> </span>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-87820234656979209972011-02-28T20:47:00.000-06:002011-02-28T20:47:20.166-06:00Roll Call~Not my best work here but I thought there were some things you might want to know~It has been 4 days since I posted, coming off the Defending the American Dream Summit. We had right at 200 people attend when all was said and done. It was an event to be remembered, including but not limited to the tornado that abruptly ended the event.<div><div><br />
</div><div>Herman Cain was his usual amazing self. Suzi Parker from Politics Daily posted this story on Mr. Cain after her interview with him Thursday at the Summit (a must read) </div><h1 class="artHeadline" style="font-family: arial; font-size: 12px; font: normal normal normal 31px/1em georgia; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.politicsdaily.com/2011/02/24/herman-cain-a-long-shot-in-2012-but-thats-not-stopping-him/">Herman Cain: A Long Shot in 2012, but That's Not Stopping Him</a></h1><div><br />
</div><div>Some things going on you should know about:</div><div><br />
</div><div><br />
</div><div><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="timesrecord">TimesRecord</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/TimesRecord/status/42290481341665280" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">12:30pm via HootSuite</a><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Op/Ed: EDITORIAL — Let's clear the air on fluoride, support Arkansas legislative proposal<a href="http://ow.ly/44Pk6" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://ow.ly/44Pk6</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://ow.ly/44Pk6" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; color: #376299; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLedge">#ARLedge</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="FtSmith">#FtSmith</a></div></div><div><br />
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</div><div><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/42075380777091072" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">Feb 27, 10:15pm via web</a><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Redrawing Cong. lines a likely partisan divide. The most politically partisan debate of <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a>hasn't even started. <a href="http://bit.ly/heRGMp" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/heRGMp</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="llmasterson">LLMasterson</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/LLMasterson/status/42039126807027712" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">Feb 27, 7:51pm via HootSuite</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">RT @<a class="_userInfoPopup _twitter" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPArkansas">AFPArkansas</a>: Sen. Rapert discusses the Taxpayer Protection Amendment<a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjUwMhYRWYs" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjUwMhYRWYs</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IjUwMhYRWYs" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; color: #376299; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPAR">#AFPAR</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPhq">#AFPhq</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/42262563953717248" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">10:39am via web</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> A bill to watch on changing benefits to AR unemployment benefits. Part of effort to reduce future debt to feds. <a href="http://bit.ly/g7QmXJ" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/g7QmXJ</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/g7QmXJ" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; color: #376299; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; display: inline !important; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ademillo">ademillo</a></div><br />
<div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-family: Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ademillo/status/42259039589122049" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">10:25am via AP Mobile_client</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">AP: Ark. House looks at tougher sex offender rules. <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> <a href="http://apne.ws/g6CaAI" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/g6CaAI</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
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</div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #314968; float: left; font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="tolbertreport">TolbertReport</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/TolbertReport/status/42261094714191872" style="clear: left; color: #999999; float: left; font-size: 11px; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">10:33am via web</a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; color: #32363f; font-size: 12px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;">Rep. Garry Smith files HB1625 - limits Pee Wee sports practice during high temperatures -<a href="http://bit.ly/fbVM33" rel="nofollow" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/fbVM33</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/fbVM33" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-03/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; color: #376299; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="color: #376299; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a></div><br />
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</div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-45472532187322815222011-02-23T09:43:00.000-06:002011-02-23T09:43:32.323-06:00Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bshJDFBjjLQBcMGwMbgmEhdHcvSAAvQM-bR59_s29eS5Lnwklm9ovHV90f-Fe1XYfWODDAEAdvRz3u1wVjhyphenhyphenNv7GiptvtMfz_OW2FoZv8zA52OvMwNxmbha5CXf5iQ9MgmBm7chyphenhyphend-s/s1600/AFPF.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="63" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg4bshJDFBjjLQBcMGwMbgmEhdHcvSAAvQM-bR59_s29eS5Lnwklm9ovHV90f-Fe1XYfWODDAEAdvRz3u1wVjhyphenhyphenNv7GiptvtMfz_OW2FoZv8zA52OvMwNxmbha5CXf5iQ9MgmBm7chyphenhyphend-s/s320/AFPF.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Tomorrow is the Defending the American Dream Summit in Little Rock~<span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">join America’s foremost free-market voices, top experts on grassroots mobilization, and Arkansas’ grassroots leaders from across the state in a massive show of force for our shared belief in lower taxes and more limited government. </span></span></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></div><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Register at <a href="http://www.ardream.org/">www.ardream.org</a></span></div><div style="font-family: Geneva, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><u><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;">A Union that Get's It</span></u></b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">There is gallons of brouhaha brewin over tax cuts here in our not so fair (tax) state. A pint of tax cuts have passed though the Arkansas House and Senate. Four tax cut measures have <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/search?updated-max=2011-02-18T10:48:00-06:00&max-results=7">passed the House</a> (HB1002, HB1052, HB1056 & HB1369) and <a href="http://talkbusiness.net/article/TAX-CUT-BILLS-PASS-SENATE-HOUSE-COMMITTEE/1529/">three the Senate</a> (SB274, SB275, & HB276). </span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">The </span><a href="http://www.ntu.org/" style="line-height: 20px;">National Taxpayers Union</a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"> is a union I can believe in. Yesterday they sent an open letter to </span><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Teague" style="line-height: 20px;">Senator Larry Teague </a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;">,(D-Nashville), Chairman of the </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">Senate Committee on Revenue & Tax, and the members of that committee who will be hearing </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1002">HB1002</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;">, the Capital Gains Tax Cut probably some time next week.</span></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: normal;"> You can read the entire letter <a href="http://www.ntu.org/in-your-state/arkansas/hb-1002.html">here</a>. The correspondence points out the fact that </span> Arkansas’ state and local tax burden as a percentage of state income is the 14<sup>th</sup> highest in the nation and higher than any of its neighbors. And Arkansas’ business tax climate ranks only 40<sup>th</sup> out of 50" . We share borders with a state without an income tax (Texas) and a state without a broad-based wage tax (Tennessee). </span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> It goes on to explain, "HB 1002 would significantly strengthen Arkansas’ tax competitiveness. By eliminating the tax on capital gains generated by property and new investments in the state" enhancing business activity and employment opportunities. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">These are important fact that the MSM seems to be negating in their coverage, just like the <a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/02/capital-gains-and-445-myth-wheres-press.html">letter I posted</a> from Rep. Ed Garner yesterday. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I encourage you to contact the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/pages/CommitteeDetail.aspx?committeecode=450">members of this committee</a> and express to them respectfully your desire for Arkansas to be competitive in business and help alleviate some of the tax pressures on those that provide jobs and the families of our state. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FACT MATTER~ GET INFORMED AND ENGAGED</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><u><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">TODAY AT THE CAPITOL</span></b></u></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;"><b>Watch Live HERE ----> <a href="http://www.arkansashouse.org/">www.arkansashouse.org</a></b></span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: large;">Today's Calendar --> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12px;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/Home.aspx">http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/Home.aspx</a></span></b></span><br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><img src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjv0ulb62nDOZnN8Kk6inKaXwNR5pJZwiogYdyyq5qakDrCf7CvwqyNM26N7tpWXJZKRp4fivWnv7rdTNgMzLjw7DqnrqbnVuA4vgz0AmQtC404HvF3qau-i0bMoAg6HcL5SDIK_WnX2aM/s200/twitter.jpg" /></span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: x-large;"> FEED</span></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="davidmeeks">DavidMeeks</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/DavidMeeks/status/40429926712745984" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">9:17am via TweetDeck</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RT @<a class="_userInfoPopup _twitter" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPArkansas">AFPArkansas</a> 2nd Annual Defending the Dream Summit - Tomorrow! <a href="http://bit.ly/eDiD9q" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/eDiD9q</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/eDiD9q" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPAR">#AFPAR</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="AFPhq">#AFPhq</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/40423686217404416" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">8:52am via Web</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> Proposed const. amendments ready for airing today. <a href="http://bit.ly/gNvZ4z" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/gNvZ4z</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;"><a href="http://bit.ly/gNvZ4z" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"></a></span><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock">RobyBrock</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/40410529725947904" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">7:59am via Web</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ICYMI US Rep. Steve Womack says 2 crucial Cong. votes nearing + addresses fed gov't shutdown. <a href="http://bit.ly/hlrdXI" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/hlrdXI</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/hlrdXI" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"></a></span></div><div style="line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; padding-bottom: 10px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="davycarter">DavyCarter</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/DavyCarter/status/40211488119586816" style="-webkit-text-decorations-in-effect: none; clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">Feb 22, 6:49pm via Twitter for iPhone</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Question: What services were "cut" when the executive branch introduced its budget with the grocery tax reduction?</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arkansasbuzz">ArkansasBuzz</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ArkansasBuzz/status/40431504471363584" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">9:23am via twitterfeed</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jim Gaston Named Business Executive of the Year <a href="http://bit.ly/eyd1ci" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/eyd1ci</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="todaysthv">todaysthv</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/todaysthv/status/40428910894125056" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">9:12am via TweetDeck</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARleg">#ARleg</a> panel takes another look at bill that cuts state benefits to illegal immigrants<a href="http://bit.ly/ffnc48" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/ffnc48</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/ffnc48" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> M: <a href="http://bit.ly/gk5grL" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/gk5grL</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="edualliance">EduAlliance</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/EduAlliance/status/40421879663693824" style="clear: left; float: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">8:45am via web</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">HOMESCHOOLING: Prosecution is waged abroad, while troubling trends abound in US<a href="http://tinyurl.com/4p6r7zd" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/4p6r7zd</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://tinyurl.com/4p6r7zd" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="homeschool">#homeschool</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="afparkansas">AFPArkansas</a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/AFPArkansas/status/40248766426521601" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank">Feb 22, 9:17pm via Twitter for iPhone</a></span></b></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Union supporters at the state capitol. <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a><a href="http://yfrog.com/h2od5nnj" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://yfrog.com/h2od5nnj</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://yfrog.com/h2od5nnj" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a></span></b></div><br />
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</b></span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-41121423769459165662011-02-22T18:06:00.001-06:002011-02-22T18:11:51.097-06:00CAPITAL GAINS and the $44.5 Myth~ Where's the Press~<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xq7QOAcPEAbqDprH2PE-VL7nlrlyLwReGZG-ZmzHlp-NlCraO7howxkfYJWl6uIAKaJrPxlpQ3gANZw6GZv09wEemelXZSkeOIvbK2VSgS5S94DJCyaVW2vEl_Yjli7ZnVLLXfJUC4/s1600/capital+gains+tax.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="203" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiy8xq7QOAcPEAbqDprH2PE-VL7nlrlyLwReGZG-ZmzHlp-NlCraO7howxkfYJWl6uIAKaJrPxlpQ3gANZw6GZv09wEemelXZSkeOIvbK2VSgS5S94DJCyaVW2vEl_Yjli7ZnVLLXfJUC4/s320/capital+gains+tax.jpg" width="320" /></a>Why haven't we read this in the press about the Capital Gains Tax Cut? </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"> Most of the stories that I have seen in the media over the <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=hb1002">HB1002</a> filed by <a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/MemberProfile.aspx?member=Garner">Rep. Ed Garner</a> are talking about this huge loss of revenue of 44.5 million dollars. But have you read this?~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;">Sent to me by Rep. Garner~</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: left;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The 44.5 Million Dollar Myth<o:p></o:p></b></div><div align="center" class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">DFA has projected a 44.5 million dollar impact on revenue of the 2013 fiscal year when HB1002 passes. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">There is no, can be no, impact on the 2012 budget. Zero. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Let's examine the fantasy of this assumption. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is important to understand this equation because many State funded agencies, most notably, Higher Education has been told that their budgets will be cut to make up for the imaginary loss of revenue. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">It is unfortunate that political rhetoric has obscured the facts of this important legislation for job creation in Arkansas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is what would have to happen…..<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">In order to affect the 2013 Budget, capital investments would have to be made in Arkansas after July 1, 2011 through Dec. 30, 2011. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">A six month window. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Those investments would have to be held for over one year and sold in the six month window of July 3, 2012 through Dec. 31, 2012.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">The equation for this impact is as follows…<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Capital Gains from NEW Arkansas investments made July 2, 2011 through Dec 30, 2011, held for over 1 year </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">minus </span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">30% of the gain and sold at a profit July 3, 2011 through Dec 31, 2011 </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(current exclusion)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">equals </span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Capital Gains taxed at AR income tax rates for the taxpayer<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">(this is running at an effective rate of 6%)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">So…… to have an impact of 44.5 million dollars this must be the equation….<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">1.064 Billion Gains</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">- 319 million (30% exclusion) = 744.67 million x 6% (effective) = 44.5 million<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Assuming an average 10% return,</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">10.64 Billion</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">would have to be</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">invested and sold</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">in Arkansas investments with 6 month windows for the buy and sell.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">If even as much as</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">HALF</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">of all Arkansas investment made could be sold at an average 10% profit after one year…. Total investments in Arkansas in the second half of 2011 would equal</span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><b><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">21.28 Billion</span></b><span class="apple-converted-space"><b><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></b></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">in new investments in Arkansas.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">This is simply not possible. This is a myth. </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">Will the media report this? </span><span class="apple-converted-space"><span style="color: black; font-size: 13.5pt; line-height: 115%; mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;"> </span></span><span style="mso-bidi-font-family: Calibri; mso-bidi-theme-font: minor-latin;">What is the response of Higher Ed who has been told their budgets will be cut?<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-85645494176757733482011-02-22T08:46:00.000-06:002011-02-22T08:46:44.797-06:00Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">No time for pontification this morning here is the scoop~</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Get Schedule here~<a href="http://www.arkansashouse.org/events">http://www.arkansashouse.org/events</a></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Listen live to committee meetings and House floor here~ www.arkansashouse.org</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sen. Jason Rapert's Taxpayer Protection Amendment</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/assembly/2011/2011R/Pages/BillInformation.aspx?measureno=sjr4"> SJR4</a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"> will be heard 2day at 10 a.m. in the OSC at the Capitol. </span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: large;"><b><u>Twitter Links~</u></b></span><br />
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<a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ademillo"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ademillo</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ademillo/status/40042579512930304" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7:37am via AP Mobile_client</span></a><br />
<div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">On the agenda for <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> today: Ark. Senate to take up 3 tax cut bills. <a href="http://apne.ws/fDW4kV" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://apne.ws/fDW4kV</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;"><a href="http://apne.ws/fDW4kV" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"></a></span></span><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RobyBrock</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/40054784908066816" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8:26am via Web</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Follow-up on yesterday's late announcement on Chesapeake sale of Fayetteville Shale assets.<a href="http://bit.ly/dM7J5p" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/dM7J5p</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="outline-color: initial; outline-width: initial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a href="http://bit.ly/dM7J5p" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank"></a></span></span><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="familycouncil"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">FamilyCouncil</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/FamilyCouncil/status/40052685629554688" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8:17am via web</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Sen. Larry Teague files bill that would allow for more legislative oversight of the lottery:<a href="http://tinyurl.com/4tu6cro" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://tinyurl.com/4tu6cro</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://tinyurl.com/4tu6cro" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="rlacc_gov"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RLACC_Gov</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RLACC_Gov/status/39910245606244352" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feb 21, 10:51pm via Constant Contact</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RLACC Gov Affairs Comm Update ...<a href="http://conta.cc/dHSSdV" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://conta.cc/dHSSdV</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://conta.cc/dHSSdV" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a> via <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="constantcontact">#constantcontact</a><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arleg">#arleg</a> <a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="479">#479</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="display: inline !important; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arkansasbuzz"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ArkansasBuzz</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ArkansasBuzz/status/40050375692132352" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">8:08am via twitterfeed</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Jim Purcell Interviews Wednesday for Louisiana Higher Ed Post <a href="http://bit.ly/gBV0oT" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/gBV0oT</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="arkansasbuzz"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">ArkansasBuzz</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/ArkansasBuzz/status/40045551927955456" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">7:49am via twitterfeed</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Homeowners in Foreclosure Average 17 Months Late <a href="http://bit.ly/fbeDrB" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/fbeDrB</a></span></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><br />
</div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><a class="_username networkName _userInfoPopup" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="float: left; font-weight: bold; line-height: 12px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="robybrock"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">RobyBrock</span></a><a class="postTime" href="http://twitter.com/RobyBrock/status/39832619096997888" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 0.4em; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none; white-space: nowrap;" target="_blank"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Feb 21, 5:43pm via web</span></a></div><div class="_baseTweetText _tweetText messageContent" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0.1em; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black; font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><a class="_quickSearchPopup hash" href="http://hootsuite.com/dashboard#" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" title="ARLeg">#ARLeg</a> First GOP candidate files for open House Dist. 54 seat. <a href="http://bit.ly/dFBUYF" rel="nofollow" style="outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; text-decoration: none;" target="_blank">http://bit.ly/dFBUYF</a><a class="_previewLink _bubblePopup preview icon-13" href="http://bit.ly/dFBUYF" rel="nofollow" style="background-image: url(https://d2l6uygi1pgnys.cloudfront.net/1-9-02/images/themes/blue_steel/maps/icons.png); background-position: 0px -299px; display: inline-block; height: 13px; margin-left: 3px; outline-color: initial; outline-style: none; outline-width: initial; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-left: 13px; text-decoration: none; text-indent: -999em; vertical-align: middle;" target="_blank"></a></span></div><br />
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</div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2335160596704796292.post-68902499245593362312011-02-21T10:05:00.001-06:002011-02-21T10:07:23.135-06:00Chain Reactions~ Protest Across the Nation<div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 20px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"></span></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">Protest are flaring up across the nation by unions fearing their shtick is up. For decades now they have cost working taxpayers throughout the nation millions of dollars annually and driven state budgets well beyond responsible spending levels.</span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">For nearly a week now teachers belonging to powerful teachers unions in Wisconsin have ignored their duties as educators and filled the Capitol building in Madison. Today one of the major teachers' unions has called on members to start returning to work but keep fighting a proposed rollback of union protections for public employees.</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">This has sent ripple effects across the nation. A news <a href="http://www.4029tv.com/politics/26936742/detail.html?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter">story this morning from 4029</a> TV reported that "Hundreds of state employees are expected at the <b>Oklahoma </b>Capitol on Monday to urge lawmakers to retain their pension benefits and implement a total compensation package that would include better salaries."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">In <b>Indiana</b> "thousands of union supporters that packed the Statehouse this morning and spilled out onto Downtown sidewalks hoped their show of solidarity would be enough to dilute legislative support of a proposed right to work bill" according to the <a href="http://www.indystar.com/article/20110221/NEWS05/110221002/3-500-union-supporters-rally-Statehouse-protest-bills?odyssey=tab|topnews|text|IndyStar.com">IndyStar.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>West Virginia</b> state employees plan a rally at the Capitol on Monday to call for pay raises, improved benefits and better working conditions. (<a href="http://wvgazette.com/comments?build=yes&ContID=201102191819">Read more...</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b>Ohio</b> union workers are calling for their Governor to be fired the <a href="http://www.sanduskyregister.com/news/2011/feb/19/unionrally022011azxml">Sandusky Register reports</a> "Lending support to the public employees were local leaders, politicians and private-sector union workers who held signs describing the Senate bill as a "thief" in disguise and calling for Republican Gov. John Kasich to be fired."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">And as I wrote yesterday (<a href="http://mastersonlog.blogspot.com/2011/02/arkansas-unions-perk-up.html">Arkansas Unions Perk Up</a>), here in <b>Arkansas</b> the AFL-CIO is calling for a protest on Tuesday at our state Capitol in Little Rock. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I found this wonderful info graphic below by <a href="http://www.americanmajorityaction.org/">American Majority Action</a> and an amazing website I referenced yesterday, <a href="http://www.unionfacts.com/">http://www.unionfacts.com/</a> that might shed some light at to what is really going on. FACTS MATTER.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Georgia, 'Times New Roman', serif;">I hope you will join us on Thursday in Little Rock for the <a href="http://www.ardream.org/">Defending the American Dream Summit</a> as hundreds of Arkansans gather to say NO to overspending, overreaching government and yes to ideas like those purposed by Gov. Walker to get our state budget in order. <b><u>You are needed! </u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; font-size: 13.5pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img height="640" src="http://americanmajorityaction.org/unioninfographic.png" width="105" /> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="clear: left; float: left; font-family: arial, helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 12px; line-height: 20px; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
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</span></div>Laurie L Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11382502219370012105noreply@blogger.com0