Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know (okay afternoon)

Now 700 bills have been filed in the Arkansas 88th General Assembly, that is quite a jump from yesterday, 32 of those filed today. Might have to do with the filing deadline of Constitutional Amendments ends today.


There have been many of what are called "shell bills" filed. These are bills that legislators file with titles only and no body to be filled in later. 

TAX CUTS??!! YEA!   

Senator Gilbert Baker (R- Conway) has filed SB274, a $7 million cut in the sales tax on motor vehicles. 

This is a bill that is sponsored by both republicans and democrats, the  proposal would increase the sales tax exemption of cars from $2,500 to $5,000. 

Sen. Larry Teague (D- Nashville) also filed SB276  to cut the state's sales tax on groceries by a half-cent, which will cost the state about $15 million in general revenue. Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe has said the grocery tax cut is the only one the state can afford.

Then there is SB269 which was filed by Sen. Jake File (R-Ft. Smith). This bill would exempt manufacturers from having to pay sales and use taxes on fuel and energy used in their processes. 

For more details you can read the post by Talk Business here. 

Arkansas businesses to be put in a Full Nelson?

Sheffield Nelson that is... This is why party doesn't matter.

Former Arkansas Republican gubernatorial candidate and gas company executive Sheffield Nelson announced Monday that he plans to try to get a measure on the 2012 ballot that would increase the state’s  severance tax on natural gas to 7% which is from $54 million to $250 million per year. Currently, severance tax rates range from 1.25 percent to 5 percent.

Wonder what that will do to Arkansas families? I guess if you are a millionaire you wouldn't stop to ask that question.  Thankful this measure will have to go through our legislators and then be put to a vote of the people. I hope and pray that Arkansans will take the time to get informed and engaged on this issue.


Read more on it here from The City Wire.


Interesting Bill Filed


Tweets were flying across Twitter today concerning the filing of HJR1010 by Senator Robert Thompson (D-Paragould) and Rep. Keith Ingram (D- West Memphis).
This bill would eliminate the constitutional offices of Lt. Governor and Land Commissioner.  


Funny timing huh? Just sayin... 


lobbyup12:59pm via Web

HJR1010 - To abolish the offices of Lt Gov and Land Commisioner: http://lobbyup.com/hjr1010

ArkansasOnline2:04pm via twitterfeed

Lawmakers propose ballot mesaures for 2012: Eliminating some of the state’s constitutional offices and restricti... http://bit.ly/hF6kyM

A Political Junkies Dream APP


 The guys over at LobbyUp have been extremely busy.  What started out as a list of legilators, committees, and state offices has morphed into the one stop shop for Arkansas Politics.
Check out their site and their smart phone app, it is ridiculous, in the best sense of the word! 

     

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RobyBrock2:16pm via Web

Post-election: Causey practices law; Elliott at#ARLeg; Whitaker on job hunt after heart attack; Rankin back to music. http://bit.ly/hrIuCx

DavidMeeks9:40am via TweetDeck

HB1301 passes 89-0. Now discussing HB1317, an act to expand the immunization registry.#arleg

DavidMeeks9:37am via TweetDeck

HB1299 passes, now discussing HB1301, it continues the Ark Commission On Eye and Vison Care. #arleg

RobyBrock9:17am via TweetDeck

Getting interesting insight from #ARLeg on hiways, prisons, and redistricting. Will report over next day or two. http://talkbusiness.net

ArkansasOnline2:04pm via twitterfeed

Lawmakers propose ballot mesaures for 2012: Eliminating some of the state’s constitutional offices and restricti... http://bit.ly/hF6kyM

AFPArkansas1:40pm via Web

UPDATE: 2 State Senators recorded as voting "yes" for SB183... didn't http://bit.ly/fgg8X6#ARLeg #AFPAR #AFPhq

thecitywire1:02pm via twitterfeed

Local Wire: National Guard support State Police to help stranded motorists: Editor’s note: This story provided b... http://bit.ly/i8PFU4

Morning Roll Call~ News You Need to Know

No time to “editorialize” this morning (LOL might be best anyway) but these are stories that I thought you wouldn’t want to miss~ All of these stories are taken directly from the source.

1969 Sugar Bowl No. 9 Arkansas 16, No. 4 Georgia 2

After a five-year absence, a span that included two Cotton Bowl berths and a national championship, the Razorbacks were back in New Orleans to play in the 1969 Sugar Bowl.

Arkansas leaned on the passing combination of quarterback Bill Montgomery and split end Chuck Dicus, as well as a stingy defense, to beat coach Vince Dooley and Georgia. Read more…

WOMACK ASKED TO JOIN "WHIP TEAM" 

U.S. Rep.-elect Steve Womack, R-Rogers, continues to add to his Congressional responsibilities.

Womack was asked Thursday (Dec. 30) by U.S. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, R-Calif., if he would serve as a member of the exclusive whip team. McCarthy will be the House GOP whip during the next Congress, which makes him the No. 3 Republican leader in the House. Read more…

Dead blackbirds fall in Beebe on New Year's Eve

  

BEEBE, AR  – Ringing in the New Year took on a different meaning for the citizens of Beebe. Beginning at around 11:30pm, enforcement officers with Arkansas Game and Fish Commission began getting reports of dead black birds falling from the sky in the city limits of Beebe.

Dick Baxter with the Game and Fish Commission estimates that 2000-2500 birds fell out of the sky over the city. Most of the birds were dead, but some were still alive when officers arrived. Three different types of blackbirds fell over a one-mile area in the city.  Read more…

Nelson expects to seek initiated act for severance tax hike

Facing disappointing returns from the newly increased state severance tax and bad prospects for another hike by the Legislature, Sheffield Nelson is gearing for a possible drive to put the matter to a public vote in 2012.

Nelson, a former gas company executive and gubernatorial candidate, wants to raise the levy on the natural gas exploration companies extract in the state to 7 percent — the same as he proposed three years ago before deferring to Gov. Mike Beebe, who successfully pushed a 5 percent hike in an April 2008 special session.

Industry officials, who cautioned prior to the 2008 increase that raising the severance tax would slow investments in new exploration in the state, were reserved in comments about Nelson’s talk of the need for a new tax hike.

Read More…

Vexation over public employee unions rises 

(This story appears in the NWA Times and to read the entire story you must have a paid subscription)

Across the nation, a rising irritation with public employee unions is palpable, as a wounded economy has blown gaping holes in state, city and town budgets and revealed that some public pension funds dangle perilously close to bankruptcy.

In California, New York, Michigan and New Jersey, states where public unions wield much power and the culture historically tends to be pro-labor, even longtime liberal political leaders have demanded concessions - wage freezes, benefit cuts and tougher work rules.

It is an angry conversation. Union chiefs, who sometimes persuaded members to take pension sweeteners in lieu of raises, are loath to surrender ground. Read more…

 

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@ArkansasOnline

New school looms large in county: As workers prepare to lay floor tiles in wide-open corridors, mud drywall and ... http://bit.ly/fIzMcf

Town begins picking up pieces: With the help of volunteers, residents of a small Arkansas community ripped apart... http://bit.ly/hWFe4M

Baby boomers in retirement-cash crisis: Through a combination of procrastination and bad timing, many baby boome... http://bit.ly/eS8gkr

@NWARobbie

Today's Sugar Bowl notebook: Jerico Nelson happy at home, Jake Bequette looks into NFL, Terrelle Pryor speaks out — http://bit.ly/ePrX9x

Today's story: QBs Ryan Mallett and Terrelle Pryor, early season Heisman hopefuls, bringing star power to Sugar Bowl — http://bit.ly/hYllQL

@Arkansasbuzztap

RazorBloggers >> Bowl Predictions — Ohio Statehttp://buzztap.com/-83rFm0

Arkansas Razorbacks (Official Site) >> Pep rallies set for Allstate Sugar Bowl http://buzztap.com/-3u6p9F

@HuntingNfishing

More Than 1000 Dead Birds Fall From Sky In Arkansas - WFMY News 2 http://goo.gl/fb/3IRhO