Arkansas gets extension to comply with 2005 Real ID Act
For months, services that cover state politics and governments have highlighted difficulties of the 2005 Federal Real ID Act, which many state have resisted, calling it an underfunded mandate -- Arkansas included. The 2007 Legislature adopted two resolutions regarding our compliance.
Earlier this month, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security released the final regulations to implement the requirements of the Act, which include uniform mofifications to drivers' licenses (remember the RFID discussions we've had? That specific technology wasn't included in the final regs, but click the picture for more information on how this works).
As of May 11, state driver's licenses and identification cards will not be accepted for federal purposes unless a state is compliant or has been approved for an extension. We received a 19-month extension. Some states have vowed not to comply. It can be interpreted as a fairly intrusive measure, especially considering all of the biometric data that can be contained in the new identification cards (and already contained in licenses in Arkansas and 44 other states).
According to a study conducted by National Conference of State Legislatures, the National Governors Association and the American Association of Motor Vehicle Administrators, the act will cost states more than $11 billion to implement over five years and will have a major impact on services to the public. To date, Congress has appropriated only $90 million to assist states with implementation of the Real ID, of which only $6 million has been obligated. The President's budget proposals have not included any funding requests to assist states with the implementation of the Real ID. This is a good example to show how states are also the recipient of unfunded and underfunded mandates.
Here's today's Democrat-Gazette article, and here are previous entries on the blog about the 2005 Federal Real ID Act:
Here's an article that was published in this morning's Chicago Tribune about the Democratic primary here in Arkansas. Included are quotes from Dustin McDaniel, Janine Parry, and Pat O'Brien. Click here.
I was voter 113 at the Miller County Courthouse this morning. I broke the tie -- prior to my vote, 56 Democratic and 56 Republican ballots had been cast.
Presidential candidate John Edwards will apparently withdraw from the race in the same city he announced his intentions to run: New Orleans. Announcement today (Associated Press, MSNBC).
A Harrison student would like to see those with legal concealed gun permits have the ability to carry firearms on college campuses. Here's the article from the Harrison Daily Times, which includes interviews with Sens. Randy Laverty (D-Jasper) and Shawn Womack (R-Mountain Home).
Reception for House Dist. 43 candidate Jim Nickels
Time
Place
Event
9:00 a.m.
Fouke
Mike Ross Comunity Office Hours
10:00 a.m.
5930 Summerhill
Ribbon Cutting: Murray, Thomas & Griffin
11:30 a.m.
Bradley
Mike Ross Comunity Office Hours
2:00 p.m.
Stamps
Mike Ross Comunity Office Hours
5:30 p.m.
Arkansas High
AHS Young Democrats
Orlando Sentinel: McCain wins Florida GOP vote New York Times: McCain Defeats Romney in Florida Vote Wall Street Journal: McCain Scores Florida Win; Giuliani Is Set to Exit Race Washington Post: McCain beats Romney in Florida Los Angeles Times: Florida victory makes McCain solid frontrunner Houston Chronicle: McCain, Clinton win Florida; Giuliani may drop out Chicago Tribune: McCain wins, beating back Romney challenge Reuters: McCain wins tight battle in Florida Reuters: Fed looks set to cut rates more to avoid recession
The Intervenors made it official today by filing a Notice of Appeal with the Arkansas Court of Appeals regarding the Public Service Commission's ruling to grant SWEPCO a Certificate of Environmental Compatibility and Public Need for construction of a 600MW power plant in Hempstead County. Here's the 36 page pleading.
At 2:30 p.m. tomorrow, the U.S. Senate Committee on Finance will take up and alter the "Economic Stimulus Act of 2008," the Senate version of the economic stimulus package. West Virginia Senator Jay Rockefeller will offer an amendment that would provide $15 billion for state fiscal assistance, split evenly between Medicaid and discretionary grants. Here's his news release.
When Florida voters go to the polls today, they'll also vote on a measure designed to slash property taxes by $12.4 billion and boost the state’s slumping real estate market. Donald Trump, a Palm Beach County homeowner who pays $1 million annually in property tax there, is helping Governor Charlie Crist with the amendment. Here's the proposed question:
Property tax exemptions; limitations on property tax assessments This revision proposes changes to the State Constitution relating to property taxation. With respect to homestead property, this revision: (1) increases the homestead exemption except for school district taxes and (2) allows homestead property owners to transfer up to $500,000 of their Save-Our-Homes benefits to their next homestead. With respect to nonhomestead property, this revision (3) provides a $25,000 exemption for tangible personal property and (4) limits assessment increases for specified nonhomestead real property except for school district taxes. Yes or no
Governor: No special session unless consensus is there
The governor made it clear today that he won't call a special session to consider raising the state's severance tax on natural gas unless he gets a commitment from the majority of legislators required. That means that not only is it necessary to persuade 3/4 of each chamber, the committees in both the Senate and the House must have the necessary support. Otherwise, it doesn't really matter whether there is overwhelming support for the measure. Here's the Associated Press article.
The Arkansas Legislature has recently been challenged by the Arkansas Supreme Court (and subsequently by the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette) to craft a law to fix a permanent solution to advances in reproductive technology related to intestacy (dying without a valid will). I don't think it's as controversial as advertised. The Arkansas Supreme Court recently ruled as follows:
It is clear from the statute that in order to inherit through intestate succession as a posthumous descendant, the child must have been conceived before the decedent’s death. However, the statutory scheme fails to define the term “conceived.”
[W]e strongly encourage the General Assembly to revisit the intestacy succession statutes to address the issues involved in the instant case and those that have not but will likely evolve.
The Commissioners on Uniform State Laws have drafted a comprehensive 66-page bill and recommend its passage. Here's the text of the proposed legislation (begin with Article 7). As you can see, several sections of this bill aren't necessary to update the current Arkansas law. This bill has been introduced in Nevada and Alabama.
Of course, the underlying case deals with social security benefits, and although it's probably not a popular decision, the Arkansas Supreme Court made the right decision and passed it on (as they should have). It was passed to them by a federal court. As an editorial aside, I think the link shows that the statute can be addressed without having people marching in the streets regarding the definition of the term "conceived." After all, this section shouldn't be all that controversial:
SECTION 707. PARENTAL STATUS OF DECEASED INDIVIDUAL. If an individual who consented in a record to be a parent by assisted reproduction dies before placement of eggs, sperm, or embryos, the deceased individual is not a parent of the resulting child unless the deceased spouse consented in a record that if assisted reproduction were to occur after death, the deceased individual would be a parent of the child.
I just received an "action alert" from the National Conference of State Legislatures Office of State-Federal Relations regarding cuts to the Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant. This program is the largest justice assistance grant to states and is used in part here in Arkansas for funding many law enforcement programs, including our drug task forces. I was pleased to see that a Google search turned up a media release from John Boozman urging, in a bipartisan way, to preserve this funding. In the Consolidated Appropriations Act (PL-110-161), funding was cut from $520 million in FY07 to $170 million in FY08 (67%). If it's to be restored, it'll come through an emergency supplemental spending bill due to emerge in the coming weeks.
The Democratic Party of Arkansas (DPA) is seeking applicants to be national delegates and alternates to the Democratic National Convention. Applicants for delegate and alternate to the Democratic National Convention must file with the DPA between February 6 and 22. The elections will be held at the Congressional District Caucuses and Special State Convention on Saturday, March 8, in Little Rock. Click here for the application. The Democratic National Convention will be held August 25-28, 2008 in Denver, Colo. Arkansas has a total of 47 delegates and six alternates.
If you're a serious junkie and are looking for something to watch before the president's address tonight, Tennessee Governor Phil Bredesen will give his State of the State address at 6:00 p.m. locally this evening. You can watch it online here.
Tennessee tax revenues have plummeted while surplus lottery dollars have come in well ahead of forecast, and the governor will try and reconcile this conflicting situation this evening. So far, the Volunteer State has a $182 million shortfall this fiscal year, and the governor will present his administration’s proposed budget for the upcoming year. The Tennessee Legislature is currently in session.
I've received some feedback from the two most recent newsletters I've sent regarding the severance tax. Just thought others across the state would be interested in knowing what some are saying:
• [I can agree] on a natural gas tax increase, if it is used to offset other areas (especially food tax) for people who can not afford the increases. However, on the other hand if it is just going to be another "tax, upon tax" plan, I wouldn't personally support it. My gas bill this month was just a little over $219.00. I know there are people who have trouble with gas bills already and I run our house at 69 degrees during the time we are here and 62 degrees when we are all gone. I've spoken to a few other people who have had problems paying Center Point bills in the area also (many are on the Texas side though).
• so long as it doesn't go overboard. I don't think the gas bills on the Texas-side are any higher than ours, and they have a huge tax on the extraction of natural gas.
• From what I read, the companies are getting a say in any increase. That means that they'll agree to just enough to keep Nelson from taking this thing to the people. Is the Legislature going to rubber stamp this agreement?
The Washington Post suggests that the president is getting little credit for improved security in Iraq, as the public has focused recently on the economy. Both will dominate tonight's address (8:00 p.m. locally). The response will be given by Kansas Governor Kathleen Sebelius.
Here's your two-minute update on the upcoming week. Legislative meetings of note include two Agriculture, Forestry & Economic Development Committee meetings in West Memphis on Monday and Tuesday. There will also be a couple of task forces and subcommittees that meet on Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday.
I'm back home after spending the evening with Pastor Milton Glass and a hundred or so of his closest friends as we celebrated his retirement from Halls United Methodist Church. He's been a great leader in and around Texarkana, running the local chapter of the NAACP and spending numerous hours volunteering, mentoring, and even tutoring students after school.
The C.E. Palmer Award is Texarkana's most prestigious honor for community service and is given annually at the Chamber banquet. This year's recipient is Patty Fulbright Smith, the Administrative Director of Opportunities, Inc. I've had the opportunity to sit on the Board there for the past three years, and I can tell you that there is no one more deserving of this award. Here are a couple of pictures from last night's banquet:
Smith and Texarkana Chamber President Jeff Sandford Former Arkansas Mayor Danny Gray, Smith, former Texas Mayor and 2007 Chamber Chairman John Jarvis, and Chamber Economic Development Director Jerry Sparks present the award
Here's an interview with South Carolina State Rep. Bakari Sellers about tomorrow's Democratic primary there. Bakari and I are in the inaugural DLC fellows class together. A little about him: he's 23 (21 when elected) and not only is he already a state representative, he's also served on the Morehouse College Board of Trustees. He garnered 55% of the vote in his 2006 bid to unseat 82 year-old incumbent Thomas Rhoad, who had been in the House for 26 years. He was told it couldn't be done, but Bakari has said that the election was simply a referendum on change. Tom Brokaw has suggested that he'll be governor of South Carolina one day. This guy's inspiring, and you'll enjoy this interview. He's picking Obama by 10.
Update: Just watched Bakari on Morning Joe this morning on MSNBC. Joe and Mika ended up talking more about him and his political career than the SC primary.
Rep. Cornwell (D-Benton) draws Nix as primary opponent
Benton Education Association President Barbara Nix (D-Benton) has announced her intentions to run against Rep. Lamont Cornwell (D-Benton). Cornwell is the owner of Cornwell Enterprises L.L.C. and is serving his first term in the Arkansas House. Prior to serving in the House, Cornwell served on the Benton School Board. He serves on House Judiciary and City, County and Local Affairs Committees and is a non-voting member of the Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development Committee.
Nix has taught in the Benton School District for 37 years and was named Teacher of the Year for the 2005-06 school term. She said education will be a chief priority if she is elected. She also serves on the Benton Athletic Memorial Museum Board of Directors. Here's the Benton Courier article.
The primary election is Tuesday, May 13. District 28 includes the cities of Benton, Haskell and Traskwood and Newcomb and Fairplay townships. Here's the district map:
This Washington Post article reminds readers that yesterday's agreement on a stimulus package marks the first major bipartisan action since Democrats took over Congress a year ago. Some, even a few who didn't agree on the one-time rebates, are hoping for more of the same. We'll see if the deal will hold together on the other end of the Capitol.
The annual oyster supper will take place tonight in Prairie County. Our chamber banquet is tonight, so I'm unable to go. Here's the only picture I can find (from 2006).
Nothing official, but the governor said today if a consensus can be built, early March may be a potential time to hold a special session on the severance tax . I just hope it's not March 3 -- I'm to appear before the United States Supreme Court that day. Here's the Associated Press article.
Sen. Obama has already been criticized for casting a "present" vote on over a hundred bills. I don't think I've ever cast a present vote -- practically, it counts as a no since it doesn't help the sponsor get the required number of votes for passage. If you think a bill is unconstitutional, I think you have to vote against it if you want to be true to the oath you took to uphold the Constitution.
Here's a good read from today's Los Angeles Times about Obama's assertion that he simply pushed the wrong button in a half-dozen votes in the Illinois Senate, two of them on hotly contested bills. I don't know how they do it in Springfield, but in Little Rock, there's adequate time to correct a mistake by changing a vote before the clerk casts up the ballot. Plus, like Illinois, we have a procedure to place an entry with the clerk (but not in the House Journal -- Rule 6) to explain a flub like this, even though you can't change your vote. True errors or attempts to appease both sides of a difficult issue?
Update (Friday): Illinois lawmakers are coming to Obama's defense regarding the present votes, some explaining that such a vote is just "good politics." I can agree with that and know others in Arkansas who feel the same way. Interesting to read that only a handful of states allow legislators to vote "present." In Hawaii, you can vote "kanalua" (doubt).
New York Times: Rivals Barely Conceal Dislike for Romney Wall Street Journal: How Low Should the Fed Go? Washington Post: Some in Party Bristle At Clintons' Attacks Los Angeles Times: Clinton still leads solidly with nation's Democrats Houston Chronicle: Texas prison system under fire after injured inmate's death Chicago Tribune: Gasbags: Pols and their cars Reuters: Obama dips, but still has South Carolina lead: poll
Governor holding news conference on energy assistance
Governor Beebe, along with community advocates, energy officials and working Arkansans, will appear at a news conference Thursday morning to discuss upcoming efforts to increase federal assistance to low-income Arkansans for energy costs.
When: Thursday, January 24, 10:00 a.m. Where: North Little Rock Workforce Center (3901 McCain Park Dr., Ste. 102)
Other participants include Hugh McDonald, president and CEO of Entergy Arkansas, Public Service Commission Chair Colette Honorable and Rose Adams, executive director of the Arkansas Community Action Agencies Associaion.
If you're into benchmark exam scores, Hope's Yerger Middle School has made impressive gains in the last two years. Here's an example of proficiency gains made in 7th grade math there:
Credit is given to a full-time focus teacher and the “Extra Push” program, which targets students needing additional instruction or enrichment for afternoon and Saturday classes. Here's more from The Learning Institute.
It's a slow day, so here's some entertainment. You make the call on this one after listening to this message left on a high school student's phone by the wife of a school administrator in Fairfax, Virginia (click here -- video is on the right). Apparently, the student had called the administrator's house asking why school hadn't yet been closed because of snow. He claims that, as part of the cell phone generation, people are used to being reached at all times. This video has been viewed over 20,000 times, it's been published in the Washington Post, and the student was even interviewed by Good Morning America.
Of course, it's a little hard to judge since we have no idea what the student said, but here's my take: as a person holding a position of public trust, you have the option of having your number listed. If you don't want phone calls from the public, don't list your number, because you will get frequent phone calls -- some legitimate, some just wanting to vent. Mine's listed, and thankfully, Lori would just laugh this off rather than responding in-kind. In the YouTube era, it's probably a pretty good rule not to return work-related messages left for the other spouse on your machine. heh heh
Jacksonport State Park looking for funds for new facilities
Today's Newport Independent reports that Jacksonport State Park Superintendent Mark Ballard is seeking funds for the construction of a new "collection management" facility to house collections of artifacts when they are not on display and to aid in their preservation and care with humidity and lighting controls. Ballard also wants a new visitor center. He's hopeful that the funds for the collection management facility will become available through the real estate transfer tax and the funds for the visitor center from the 1/8 ¢ conservation tax (Amendment 75). Any proposed allocation must come through us in 2009. They, of course, won't be alone.
Mesa Airlines to drop passenger service to Arkansas cities
Mesa Air Group Inc. intends to drop air service to four Arkansas cities: El Dorado, Harrison, Hot Springs and Jonesboro. The carrier says it will continue to provide service until regulators designate a new carrier. Here's the Associated Press article, and here's their current route map, which includes not only Mesa Air (green routes) but Air Midwest, a wholly owned subsidiary of Mesa Air Group (US Airways, United, and Delta Connection):
Here's a graphic from the International Energy Agency forecasting future global energy needs. The group estimates sustaining annual growth to 2030 will require a 40% increase in global oil supplies. The growth in worldwide demand for natural gas is expected to be even larger, increasing by 68% in that same time frame. The U.S. Energy Information Administration projects that the United States will consume 19% more oil and 7% more natural gas in 2030 than consumed in 2006. You'd think that the 2030 pie chart would look a little different.
President Bush and congressional leaders are close to agreeing on a compromise economic rescue package, and there is some grumbling from both ends of the political spectrum. Are you in favor of a stimulus in the form of a rebate as high as $800 for a single person, $1,600 for married couples? About two-thirds of the money would go for tax breaks for individuals, plus extended unemployment and food stamp benefits, while the other third would be for business tax breaks. If you're in favor of a modified package, list it in "other."
Fiscal watchdogs (including Mike Ross and other Blue Dogs) are leery of quick economic fixes that would increase the federal deficit, but according to this morning's article from Stephens Media, Ross is willing to look at all the options on the table to help lower to moderate income working families. Conservatives have protested one-time tax rebates to individuals as ineffective pandering and have called for permanent breaks aimed at increasing investment. The left argues that Bush's proposed package already tilts toward the wealthy and have pushed instead for a broad investment in public works.
• John Cone, Pine Bluff, as Circuit Judge for the Sixth Division of the Eleventh Judicial District West. Appointment expires December 31, 2008. Replaces Thomas Brown.
• Elizabeth Williams Danielson, Booneville, as Circuit Judge for the First Division of the Fifteenth Judicial District. Appointment expires December 31, 2008. Replaces Frank Arey.
• Woody Futrell, Nashville, reappointed to the Arkansas State Police Commission. Appointment expires January 14, 2015.
• Scott Roussel, Searcy, reappointed to the University of Central Arkansas Board of Trustees. Appointment expires January 14, 2015.
• Leigh Whiteside, Russellville, to the Arkansas Tech University Board of Trustees. Appointment expires January 14, 2013. Replaces Terry Rothwell.
McLean, VA - Senator Fred Thompson today issued the following statement about his campaign for President:
"Today I have withdrawn my candidacy for President of the United States. I hope that my country and my party have benefited from our having made this effort. Jeri and I will always be grateful for the encouragement and friendship of so many wonderful people."
Congressmen Mike Ross and Collin Peterson (D-Minnesota), Chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, will hold a town hall meeting in Pine Bluff to discuss the Farm Bill. It'll be held on Friday at 2:00 p.m. at the Pine Bluff Convention Center.
Darrell Porter has decided against running for House District 7 (pts. Ouachita, Union counties). Look for an announcement soon from that area.
Rep. Mike Burris (D-Malvern) recently announced his re-election bid for a third and final term. Here's the Malvern Daily Record article.
Not candidate news, but Lt. Gov. Bill Halter spent part of Friday pitching the proposed lottery amendment in Saline County. Here's the Benton Courier article from yesterday.
This is still under construction, and as you can tell, this Senate map isn't functional when you click on a district yet. Of course, I won't know exactly what data to include in the guide anyway until the filing period closes, but I'll try and do a map for the House as well (and if I have time, for all county and judicial elections). We'll try and include campaign activities in each district as well.
For some reason, the Saline County portion of Jerry Taylor's district doesn't highlight when you roll over his district. Let me know if this thing's not working.
Of course, almost half of the seats in the Arkansas Senate aren't up this year. Those include Senators Wilkins (SD5), Wilkinson (SD6), Miller (SD10), Thompson (SD11), Altes (SD13), Bookout (SD14), Bryles (SD15), Crumbly (SD16), Johnson (SD18), Smith (SD19), Horn (SD21), Broadway (SD22), Faris (SD27), Glover (SD28), Capps (SD29), Steele (SD34), and Pritchard (SD35).
Here's an interesting bill pending in the Arizona Legislature. House Bill 2157 provides that, unless excused, a member who fails to vote on even one bill will forfeit the equivalent of one day's legislative pay. Speaker Jim Weiers (R-Phoenix) filed the bill, saying "we're elected to represent our constituents." Here's more from the Arizona Daily Star.
Sabrina McCormick with our local NPR affiliate interviewed Governor Beebe this morning while he was in town -- I had my dictator with me and caught some of it:
Congressman Ross was also in attendance -- I got caught with here with my eyes closed. Ross is en route to Hope and Monticello today, and the governor finishes up with an event in Little Rock before participating in a parade in Benton this afternoon.
Here's an interesting feature in today's Washington Post. While the national unemployment rate has remained fairly low until last month's spike (a little higher here in Arkansas), there is a growing number of white-collar and college-educated workers with long work experience looking for work. Experts say this threatens to intensify the impact of the anticipated economic downturn.
The annual 5th annual MLK gala held last night was the largest yet -- by my count, there were over 250 in attendance. Here's today's Texarkana Gazette article, and here's a pictures (right). The governor and Congressman Ross will be on hand for the annual service held this morning at Lonoke Baptist Church here in Texarkana. The governor is already in Ft. Smith at an event there.
Here's this week's video. Included is a discussion on the severance tax and the developments this week as former Arkla CEO Sheffield Nelson submitted his proposal to Dustin McDaniel for certification for a proposed initiated act on the November, 2008 ballot. As discussed on the video, the link to the Arkansas statute regarding the severance tax is here.
I'm on my way to a prayer breakfast to commemorate the 79th birthday of Martin Luther King, Jr. I'll be away from the blog at MLK events for most of the weekend, but I'll check in periodically. Update: I took my campaign manager with me this morning. We're off to two other local events.
South Carolina Republicans will vote tomorrow, while the Democrats there won't vote until next Saturday, January 26. Rasmussen has McCain and Huckabee in a tie in that state, while Obama continues to have a double-digit lead in the Palmetto State. The Democratic candidates for president will debate in Myrtle Beach on Monday night at the Palace Theater. Here's a preview of the venue from our ace reporter, showing some artwork to the sand dunes there:
Today's Log Cabin Democrat has a feature on Speaker-designate Robbie Wills (D-Conway) and his ideas as he prepares for the 2009 legislative session. Topics covered in today's article include highways, the severance tax, economic development, higher education, and a statewide trauma system. Wills will also be the speaker at the upcoming Political Animals Club of Northwest Arkansas on February 8 in Fayetteville. Click here for the Log Cabin Democrat story.
Arkansas 529 committee announces college savings plan
Governor Mike Beebe, along with members of the Arkansas 529 Committee and the Aspiring Scholars Advisory Committee, today announced a new college savings program, the Aspiring Scholars Matching Grant. This new program makes matching funds available for working families who wish to invest in their children’s future by investing in Arkansas’s 529 plan. Here's the governor's media release.
This is also the subject of the governor's weekly radio address:
Republican primary to be held in House District 48
Republican voters in Cabot, Ward, Austin and other parts of northern Lonoke County will go to the polls on May 20 to choose between Davy Carter (R-Cabot) and Randy Minton (R-Ward). Minton long ago announced his intentions to run for the seat to replace term-limited Rep. Susan Schulte (R-Cabot). Because of term limits, Minton can only seek one term since he previously served two terms in the House during the Huckabee governorship.
Minton will be joined in the primary by Davy Carter (right), who has announced that he will also run for the seat. Carter is a Cabot attorney and former vice president and general counsel for Community Bank in Cabot. Carter has spent approximately 10 years in the financial sector and received an undergraduate degree in Corporate Finance from Arkansas State University in 1997 and completed the Graduate School of Banking at LSU in 2003. He received his law degree from UALR in 2005. A native of Marianna, Carter and his wife Cara have three children.
First post time of 2008 begins in a little over four hours in Hot Springs. Here's today's lineup, which includes a nine-race card and corned beef sandwiches for 50¢: Oaklawn
Herzfeld, White vie for new Saline County Circuit Judge position
Paul White has thrown his hat in the ring for the newly-created 4th division circuit judge position in the 22nd Judicial District (Saline County). White has been practicing law for 15 years, graduating from the University of Arkansas at Little Rock School of Law. White received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Ouachita Baptist University in Arkadelphia in 1989. Here's the Saline County Voice article.
This is the same position for which 2006 attorney general candidate and former Saline County Prosecutor Robert Herzfeld previously announced last Fall. Here's the Benton Courier article on that announcement. This election will be held in conjunction with the May 20 primaries. Non-partisan judicial ballots will be included in balloting for Democrat and Republican nominations in other races.
Don Warren, a Pine Bluff attorney, has announced that he will run for the seat being vacated by Rep. Earnest Brown (D-Pine Bluff). Brown is running for circuit judge. Warren, a native of Chicago, is a graduate of UAPB and UALR law school. He and his wife Harriet have four children. I understand we can expect at least two other candidates to announce for the seat soon: Delton Wright and James Word. I'll post something once they make it official. All three will run as Democrats. Here's the district map:
Arkansas Senators Blanche Lincoln and Mark Pryor and Congressmen Mike Ross and John Boozman announced Wednesday that the James Fork River Water District in Scott and Sebastian Counties will receive a $1,485,000 Rural Development grant from the United States Department of Agriculture. The James Fork River Water District also will receive a $1,820,000 loan from USDA. The funds will be used to build a water distribution system that will provide a safe and adequate water supply to approximately 350 new rural customers.
Today's Washington Post looks at the hurdles that are keeping the federal government from assembling an economic stimulus package to fend off a recession. The New York Times reports that Bernanke is supportive of any resulting package, so long as the measures are temporary.
Governor Mike Beebe today named Ron Rhodes of Cherokee Village to the Arkansas State University Board of Trustees.
"Ron Rhodes has deep ties to Arkansas State University," Beebe said. "While this is a political appointment, Ron is by his nature not a political person. He simply has spent his life in dedicated support of ASU and will serve the university and the state well on the Board of Trustees."
Rhodes, 60, graduated from ASU in 1970, and is a life member of the ASU Alumni Association, as well as belonging to the ASU Indian Club and the ASU Letterman’s Club. He has spent more than 35 years in the real-estate business, and is president of King-Rhodes and Associates, Inc. in Cherokee Village. A member and past president of the Cherokee Village Lions Club, Rhodes also serves on the Sharp County Community Foundation and volunteers for the Sharp County Campus of the Arkansas Sheriffs’ Youth Ranch.
As I've said several times, House District 29 will be one of the hottest races in 2008, and both parties consider it a top priority. The stakes were raised yesterday when Ann Clemmer made it official that she'll run for this seat as a Republican, which is currently held by term-limited Rep. Janet Johnson (pictured right). We've historically had strong Democratic representation in that legislative district (Sen. Shane Broadway before Johnson, a two-term Majority Whip), and I understand that no Republican has ever held the seat. Current Republican Party Chairman Dennis Milligan came close, although he lost to Johnson twice.
Saline County has long trended Republican and voted Republican in the 2006 races for governor, Congress, and prosecuting attorney, and also in the 2004 races for Congress, U.S. Senate, and in the presidential race (with 63%). Of course, legislative campaigns are usually more closely aligned to local issues than statewide, congressional and national races (and most in the county would point that out in the prosecutor's race).
Last week, the Benton Courier carried the announcement by Democrat Scott Smith will run. Smith, a Bryant businessman, will join Republicans Clemmer, Brett Hooton and Bud Lidzy and Democrat Mike Beckwith to replace Johnson. Here's the map:
Here's Rep. CPT JAG Jeff Wood (right) with 1LT Sean Bess right before they went out for some night IED training recently. Wood and Bess are part of the 39th Infantry Brigade. Long days but high spirits, he says.
If you're wanting an update on the bypass around town that will eventually become part of I-49, just come on over to my back yard. Some folks wouldn't want an interstate within eyesight of their house, but it doesn't bother me. I reserve the right to change my mind when I'm unable to barbecue ribs on the back porch due to traffic and jake brakes.
It'll be elevated above the flood plain -- the Red River is just beyond the treeline, and local residents can remember what this area looked like when it flooded in 1990. Here's a similar picture from July.
I did something foolish very optimistic a couple of months ago. I was reading about the inaugural "Run the Line" half marathon to take place here in Texarkana on February 17, and then I did it. I sent in a check for my entry fee.
Well, last night, I was thinking it might be a good idea to get my running shoes out of the closet, shake the cobwebs out and lace 'em up for a brisk 7-miler this morning. That didn't work out as planned -- after four I was looking for the shortest route back home. Needless to say, I have my work cut out for me. Consequently, the early, early morning posts on the blog may be missing for a few weeks while I go Huckabee on this thing.
"If I wanted to live like Arkansas, I would move to Arkansas" - California Senate President Pro Tem Don Perata
As you probably know by now, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger said last week that he'd like to model the California budget after our own, particularly the Revenue Stabilization Act devised by Governor Ben Laney in 1945, which prioritizes spending in categories and prevents deficit spending. Some California legislators are not happy with the proposal. "He sure as hell didn't go to Arkansas. It's almost a joke," Perata said of Schwarzenegger. Here's a good article that appeared in Sunday's Sacramento Bee.
We're having a school board meeting at 6:00 and a TxDOT town hall meeting at 6:30. After that, the Democratic candidates for president will debate in Las Vegas tonight. Candidate Dennis Kucinich will also appear on the stage after a judge ruled that he must be included (reversed by NV Sup Ct). The debate is being hosted by the Nevada Democratic Party and will be broadcast on MSNBC at 8:00 p.m. Nevada will hold its caucuses on Saturday. The polls close in Michigan at 8:00 our time as well.
If you're wanting to switch back and forth to a good mini-series during tonight's debate and election returns, try part 2 of Comanche Moon (CBS, 8:00), the prequel to Larry McMurtry's Lonesome Dove, one of the most engaging books and movies ever written and produced. Gus McCrae (pictured right), while featured in Comanche Moon, is played by Steve Zahn rather than Robert Duvall. Tommy Lee Jones isn't in the cast either, so you won't get to hear great lines like this one.
As the filing period draws near, we'll begin profiling judicial and local races across the state. We're going to have a pretty heated race for sheriff right here in Miller County. Former law enforcement officer Jeff Black is running, as is Arkansas State Police Troop G commander Ron Stovall. They will challenge incumbent Sheriff Linda Rambo.
Black, 47, is security director for TASD and served as the first warden of the new Miller County Jail. His work experience includes working for LifeNet ambulance service from 1989 to 1999. He became a reserve deputy for Miller County in 1997 and a full-time deputy in 1999. His duties included patrol, narcotics and investigation. Black has said the sheriff’s department needs experience. He grew up in Miller County, living in both Texarkana and Doddridge. He is married to Miller County Deputy Prosecutor Stephanie Potter Black.
Sheriff Linda Rambo is in her first term as Miller County Sheriff and is the first woman to serve as sheriff in the county. She won a hard fought four-way primary in 2006. Prior to becoming the elected sheriff, Rambo served as a deputy sheriff in Miller County and also served in the Arkansas State Police.
Stovall, a Marine, is a 35-year Arkansas State Police veteran. Stovall has a degree in criminal justice, is a graduate of the FBI National Academy Association and the International Association of Chiefs of Police and is a member of Texarkana Masonic Lodge 341 and the American Legion. Stovall has said that he is committed to a higher standard in law enforcement. Stovall and his wife Veronica live in Texarkana.
I spoke to both the Texarkana Retired Federal Employees Association and the local retired teachers' organization yesterday. The questions raised during the Q&A session were interesting -- they ranged from the severance tax to Obama's faith. I also received a fair amount of questions on the Fair Tax. Of course, they were all overshadowed by questions about the 2003 Streamlined Sales Tax Act. Here are a couple of pictures:
Whaley joins two others in race for House District 42
Democrats in northern Pulaski and southern Faulkner Counties will be holding a primary to fill the seat currently held by term-limited Rep. Sandra Prater (D-Jacksonville). Democrat Russ Whaley will be joining Val Yagos in the Democratic primary in May. The winner will take on Republican Jane English. Here's the map:
Two candidates now in the race for House District 49
The Searcy Daily Citizen is reporting that Jonathan Dismang of Beebe has thrown his hat in the ring for House District 49. The seat is currently occupied by term-limited Representative Mark Pate (D-Bald Knob). Dismang will be running as a Republican. The only other announced candidate in this race is Democrat Keith Williams. Williams is the former superintendent of Beebe schools. Here's the district map:
An e-mail from Pulaski County Clerk Pat O'Brien says that the Obama campaign will be opening an office at 1218 Main Street in Little Rock, with the official opening taking place on Saturday. The staff is busy putting things together and it will be a day or two before there is a phone number and a contact person available. Here's an article from the Arkansas News Bureau.
AG: Election commissioners can support campaigns to a point
Attorney General Dustin McDaniel issued an opinion yesterday in response to an inquiry I made about the level of support election commissioners can lend to candidates. Act 489 0f 2007 prohibits election commissioners serving on the county board from "participating in any person’s campaign listed on that county’s ballot."
The opinion suggests that election commissioners can still display a yard sign and bumper sticker for particular candidates within the county but can't host a fundraiser or make phone calls for a candidate's campaign. The statute allows for commissioners to make financial contributions. It's an interesting topic and a fine line for election commissioners who want to help a candidate. The statute raises speech issues on one hand, but on the other, the public ought to be assurred of having a fair and unbiased process, and perception can surely play a role there if election commissioners are out actively campaigning for a particular candidate. Here's an article from the Arkansas News Bureau.
Here's an interview with my Michigan counterpart, Majority Leader Steve Tobocman (D-Detroit). Steve and I serve together on the DLC Fellows program. He talks about the half-hearted primaries taking place in that state tomorrow because of the delegate punishment handed down by both national parties for the early primary.
Former Michigan QB Ryan Mallett enrolls at Arkansas
Texarkana, Arkansas native Ryan Mallett enrolled at the University of Arkansas this morning after visiting the campus over the weekend. Woo Pig.
Also on campus, Darren McFadden and Felix Jones will hold a news conference at 1:00 p.m. It will be broadcast on KATV.com
Update: Both McFadden and Jones are gone. Good luck to them both. I can tell you that we'll never have a duo like that on campus again. Here's a highlight reel:
Bobby Jindal was sworn in at 12:07 p.m. today, becoming Louisiana’s 55th governor. Jindal is the fourth Republican Louisiana governor since Reconstruction. He is the first governor from Baton Rouge since the 1920s.
In a high-stakes national television appearance, Hillary Clinton got a lots of face time with millions of potential voters who will be casting ballots within the week. This comes just as she's getting some major heat from black leaders who've said that they were offended by recent comments from her that seem to diminish Dr. King's role in civil rights legislation, giving more credit to former president Lyndon Johnson.
Here's my good friend Betsy Lavender of Texarkana with Tim Russert, host of Meet the Press. Betsy works advance for the Clinton campaign.
Arkansas head football coach Bobby Petrino was in Texarkana this morning making his rounds to the area high schools and to grab a commitment from Arkansas High star Dennis Johnson. Here's a picture of Petrino with Billy Lavender of Texarkana, taken this morning at Texas High.
Look for big news coming out of Fayetteville today.
I'm trying to increase the number of subscribers to my weekly e-newsletter. I almost hit the floor last month when Mike Ross told me he has 60,000 subscribed to his e-newsletter. We're shy of a thousand and are taking all comers: Democrats, Republicans, Independents, media, public officials, casual observers. Just type your e-mail address in the box below and it will be automatically added to the database. Of course, I won't sell or give your e-mail address away to anyone. I normally send the newsletter out over the weekend.
Today in the District: Retired Federal Employees Assoc.
The Arkansas House convenes this morning to select the House speaker for the 87th General Assembly. Rep. Robbie Wills of Conway is the only candidate on the ballot.
I voted absentee last week so that I can speak to the Texarkana Retired Federal Employees Association this morning. I haven't addressed this group in three years, and I'm looking forward to visiting with them again. Of course, they're much more interested in federal legislation, but a lot of changes have taken place in the last three years locally, including the implementation of the Streamlined Sales Tax, so it ought to be a lively event. If you're interested, here are some recent bills they've supported at the federal level:
S. 773: Extend the Premium Conversion Tax Benefit (Warner) S. 206: Repeal the Government Pension Offset & Windfall Elimination (Feinstein) H.R. 1110: Extend the Premium Conversion Tax Benefit (Davis) H.R. 82: Repeal the Government Pension Offset & Windfall Elimination (Berman)
Independent Trent Eilts will join Republican Doug Hatcher of Ward and Democrat Walls McCrary of Lonoke in the race for House District 15 (most of Lonoke County and part of eastern Pulaski County). The seat is being vacated by Rep. Lenville Evans (D-Lonoke), who is term limited. Here's a map of the district:
The Clark County Democratic Party met on Thursday and accepted the resignation of Chairman Todd Turner of Arkadelphia. Turner expressed his continued support of the work of the Party but said he needs more time for his family and their activities. Dr. Tommy G. Roebuck, former State Representative, was elected the new Chair. “Politics is local and our immediate priority must be to recruit and involve all Clark County Democrats in getting out the vote for the Presidential Primary on February 5,” said Roebuck.
Dr. Tommy Roebuck, new Chair of the Clark County Democratic Party, second from left is joined by (left to right) Judge Ron Daniells, Martha Dixon, Arkansas Democratic Party National Committee Woman; Judy Beth Hutcherson, Party Treasurer, Todd Turner, former Clark County Democratic Party Chair and State Representative Johnnie Roebuck.
1,508 posts and a lot of fun (here's the first post). It's important to me to be accessible and to allow people to become a part of the legislative process. Plus, Arkansas politics is a facsinating subject, and I just enjoy writing about it. We'll continue to roll out more experiments such as this Under the Dome weekly television show, which I am incorporating into my weekly e-newsletter (sign up to the right). 61,454 unique visitors have accessed the site in the last year. Thanks for reading.
You may have noticed that for the last 10 days or so, I'm having problems with posting and with the comments appearing. We'll be offline on Saturday morning from 5:00-7:00 to resolve the problems.
Update: Back in business. Everything's back in order now with posting and comments.
Update II (7:50 a.m.): The forums are still down. Working on it. 8:30 a.m.: The forums are working again. Note the new address: underthedome.com/forums.
Governor Mike Beebe has declared Benton, Conway, Craighead, Poinsett and Pope Counties state disaster areas due to the damage caused by thunderstorms and tornadoes on Monday, January 7 and Tuesday, January 8. Here's the media release.
Rep. Otis Davis (D-Earle) tells Fox Memphis that he plans on proposing legislation to ban toy guns that resemble the real thing. Tennessee lawmakers are considering a similar proposal being drafted by Rep. John DeBerry (D-Memphis). Davis's grandson was with 12-year-old DeAunta Farrow the night he was shot and killed by a West Memphis police officer.
A crowd of 600 attended the Little Rock Touchdown Club Awards Banquet and dinner to see college and high school players honored last night. Here's a picture of Darren McFadden and Felix Jones. Behind them is Texarkana RB Dennis Johnson.
The Arkansas Supreme Court heard arguments this morning in the Old Supreme Court Chamber in the Capitol. Today being Thursday, the court also released its weekly opinions. Among them:
• A child created through in vitro fertilization but implanted in the mother's womb after the death of his father does not automatically inherit property from the father. Justices urged the Arkansas Legislature to revisit outdated laws governing how property is distributed when a person dies without a will -- so noted. [PDF]
• A per curiam was published regarding certain rule changes. By a vote of 4-3, the court declined to change Rule 5-2 of the Rules of the Supreme Court and Court of Appeals regarding the use of unpublished opinions. [PDF]
Elsewhere in the Capitol today, the Arkansas Martin Luther King Jr. Commission announced plans for next week's 2008 Leadership Conference. The governor spoke at the Municipal League Winter Convention at Noon, but I spent lunch in a meeting with his wife and the Arkansas Discovery Network before attending Legislative Audit this afternoon. I bought tickets to tonight's Little Rock Touchdown Club Awards Banquet -- our local running back Dennis Johnson will be receiving the 6A Player of the Year Award. Darren McFadden may or may not be in attendance.
Vickie Critcher (wife of outgoing Sen. Jack Critcher) will face Independence County JP James McLean on the May primary ballot for the House seat being vacated by Rep. David Wyatt, who is running for the Arkansas Senate. Independence County JP Charles Barnett, who previously announced he would run, has decided against it. Here's a map of the district:
Here's live footage of debate from the Tennessee Senate Chamber (begins at 9:00 a.m.). Thanks to Act 875 of 2007 and Eric Harris, proceedings in the Arkansas House and Senate Chambers can also be streamed live on the Internet beginning in 2009 (but not committee meetings). That's good for open government, but I'm hopeful that it can eventually be extended to the committee meetings.
New York Times: Michigan Next, G.O.P. Rivals Turn to the Economy Detroit News: Romney, McCain woo Michigan Wall Street Journal: Bank of England leaves benchmark rate unchanged at 5.5% Washington Post: Turning It Around Los Angeles Times: Deep cuts, closures at heart of budget plan Houston Chronicle: County GOP nervous about fallout from e-mail scandal Chicago Tribune: Campaigns scramble to keep-or find-edge Reuters: Bush sees Palestine state treaty within year
Lt. Gov. Bill Halter will talk about the proposed Scholarship Lottery Amendment during a panel discussion at the Arkansas Municipal League Winter Conference tomorrow morning at 10:45 at the Statehouse Convention Center. Here's the certification of the popular name and ballot title.
I hear this all the time, and in a lot of ways, it's true. We still have a statute on the books that sets out the procedure for dismantling a still and directing the proceeds of the copper to the county road fund (and maybe it needs to remain on the books). Still, the Arkansas Code is a pretty small compilation relative to the other sets of state laws on my bookshelf. Our 55 volumes (41 for the West version) pale in comparison to the 186 volumes contained in the Texas set and 172 volumes in the Louisiana Civil Code and Statutes:
Speaking of the official publication of the Arkansas Code, the Code Revision Commission recently heard a sales pitch from both Thomson West and LexisNexis regarding the contract for the official volumes. I've used both and like the West version better, but more important to me is some publishers' routine insistence on splitting volumes for seemingly no other reason than to require private law firms, agencies, and law schools to purchase additional books to remain current. The commission will decide in March whether to to put the contract up for bids.
Both Arkansas and Texas have an abundance of beautiful old classic revival county courthouses. Take a look at this site I created for some examples: Ark-La-Tex Almanac. Just click on any county or parish, and most of the links will have a picture of the county courthouse on the front page (especially the Texas links). Here's another site that includes pictures of courthouses from all over Texas. Here's a picture I took from Marshall, Texas while there on business this morning:
Severance tax battle looms in Colorado; neighbors begin session
The 44 state legislatures that meet annually are starting to convene. In Colorado, one of the hottest items on the agenda will be the possibility of increasing the state's mineral severance taxes. Colorado's severance tax is currently 5% of the market value for oil or natural gas. Coal pays a flat per-ton tax there. Here's today's Denver Post editorial.
State legislatures in our region that convene today include Tennessee and Mississippi. Both will open their respective sessions at Noon today. Missouri convenes tomorrow, Louisiana next week, and Oklahoma next month.
Today's the deadline to register to vote in the primary
If you know of any Arkansan not registered to vote, get them down to the county clerk's office by the end of the day, and they can still vote in the February 5 presidential primary. Today's the day. Other than the county clerk's office, registration forms can be submitted to the State Revenue Office, drivers license office (pick up a paper form or ask for your information to be transmitted electronically), public library or military recruitment offices.
Interview with Ark. Rep. Gregg Reep in New Hampshire
State Rep. Gregg Reep (D-Warren) set aside a little time this morning to visit by telephone while he drove a vanload of Arkansans from Nashua to Concord, NH. Gregg is part of 75 Arkansas Travelers canvassing for Hillary Clinton in the Granite State. Here are his thoughts:
Taxpayers' risk with a burst of the housing bubble
Here's a good column from Friday's Baltimore Sun about the fallout from a possible bust involving Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac -- between them, they back more than $4 trillion in mortgages. But by virtue of the implicit federal guarantee backing these mortgage giants, U.S. taxpayers may be one of the largest mortgage lenders in the world. Some have been sounding the alarm from as far back as 2002. Among them is none other than Ron Paul. The column correctly suggests that at this point, Fannie's and Freddie's positions are too precarious to remove the federal guarantee backing their debt. Doing so could lead to more trouble in the housing market and panic in the financial market.
I never reported back on my return trip to Albertson's after the first of the year. I was the last shopper (at least at Albertson's) on New Year's Eve to purchase groceries tax free (12/31 receipt here). I went back on Thursday and bought the same items to see the difference with taxes (1/3 receipt here), and the turkey went on sale, making the purchase with taxes cheaper. I'm sure there's a point in there somewhere. Here are pics of the Wal-Mart and Albertson's parking lots on the Arkansas-side. These were taken early Thursday afternoon, and it's good to see some traffic at both stores.
My informal polling tells me that while several people will drive to the Texas-side to purchase groceries, others will continue shopping on the Arkansas-side. We won't know of the impact for sure until we see some financial figures from area grocers. I'll be speaking to the local retired federal employees association next week, so I look forward to getting more feedback on this issue.
Today's Washington Post looks at the way the news media in 2007 treated Hillary Clinton as inevitable and Mike Huckabee as invisible. At least as far as Iowa goes, they've missed by a mile.
Wyoming county conventions being held today -- Update
Wyoming is holding its presidential nominating process on the GOP side today. While it hasn't garnered much attention, the state does elect 12 delegates to the Republican National Convention -- the same number allotted to New Hampshire after both states' punishment from the RNC.
The county conventions range in size from about fifty county delegates in Teton county (pop. 19,288) to a hundred county delegates in Laramie county (pop. 81,607), and some were held earlier this week. Most of the county delegates were elected back in 2006, while the rest were appointed by the county chairmen to serve as a delegate. Interesting process, but pundits say the limited involvement is likely the reason that Wyoming is probably the least influential primary prior to Super Tuesday.
Update (6:00 p.m.): Romney wins Wyoming -- the former Massachusetts governor won six of the first eight delegates to be selected. Former Tennessee Sen. Fred Thompson and California Rep. Duncan Hunter won one apiece, meaning no other candidate could beat Romney. Caucuses were still being held to decide all 12 delegates at stake.
Haaks, John Mark Huckabee okay after minor accident
John Mark Huckabee and Debbie and David Haak were involved in an accident in Des Moines early this morning -- minor injuries. They went down a steep embankment and rolled at least once. They're coming home tomorrow to recuperate before heading over to South Carolina. Here are the Haaks with Chuck Norris and wife Gena.
Tune in to KARN at 9:00 a.m. this morning for the monthly "Ask the governor" radio show (102.9 FM, 920 AM in central Arkansas). You can click here to listen online, but a free registration is required (click the "right now radio" button in the middle of the page at the link, then you'll be required to sign up).
Here's a recap of the Iowa caucuses by Pulaski County Clerk Pat O'Brien:
I spent the last six days in Iowa campaigning for the winner, Barack Obama. On the first day, I ran into a man at a McDonald's in a small Iowa town and he asked me if I was here for the caucus from out of state. (I had a map of Iowa in my hand). He told me the finish would be Obama first, Edwards second, and Clinton in third place. He stated that "Clinton had run a terrible campaign with no ground game". I thought he was crazy. I never thought that Clinton could run third. However, I don't believe the issue was lack of a ground game but the man picked the finish just the same.
There may have been a magic bullet in Iowa. This was the first election here that allowed people to register the same day of the election. My cousin was the chair of a precinct in Cedar Rapids (he was a Biden man). On the drive to the precinct he told me to expect between 100 and 125 people. There ended up being 216 people. Out of the 216, 105 registered as Democrats tonight. Now, some of those people were Independents and Republicans but the great majority were first time caucus participants and some were first time voters.
While Obama got 38% of the delegates statewide I feel sure that he received a higher percentage of the people that actually showed up. That number is not reported, only the delegates are counted. At the Cedar Rapids precinct, Obama received about 45% while Edwards and Clinton each received about 20%.
Congratulations to Governor Huckabee and Senator Obama. Although I thought Huckabee would win, I didn't think he'd pull away by the margin he did. The local Huckabee supporters I know are now leaving Iowa and heading to South Carolina. On the Democratic side, I knew it would be a tight vote, but I thought Clinton would pull it out. Democrats Biden and Dodd have dropped out of the race. The pressure's on now for New Hampshire.
Although the Wyoming GOP nomination process is tomorrow, it is largely being ignored while candidates key on New Hampshire. Candidates have paid little attention to Wyoming, and whether anyone has an advantage is unknown. There has been no public polling, and those familiar with the results of the Republican precinct caucuses held last month said no clear candidate emerged when delegates to the county conventions were selected. Here are the upcoming primaries:
January 5: Wyoming County Conventions (R only) January 8: New Hampshire Primary January 15: Michigan Primary January 19: Nevada Caucuses January 19: South Carolina Primary (R only) January 25: Hawaii Caucuses (R only; 1/25 - 1/27) January 29: Florida Primary January 29: South Carolina Primary (D) February 1: Maine Caucuses (R only; 2/1 - 2/3)
23 states will join us for the Fat Tuesday primaries. Turnout was very high in Iowa. Democratic Party officials said turnout exceeded 239,000, far above the 124,000 who participated four years ago and eclipsing even the campaigns' most optimistic forecasts. Still, Iowa's total delegation at the convention is 65. There will be 3,515 pledged and 852 unpledged delegates at the convention.
This is the sixth monthly report of the fiscal year, and revenue sharply increased due to shifts in payroll timing for individual income tax collections. Collections of net available general revenues for December were $415.2 million. That is 7.6% above December, 2006 and 13.8% above forecast.
Gross receipts collections for December, which include sales/use taxes, totaled $178.0 million (about 3.1% below December, 2006 but met the forecast). We are only collecting one half of the sales tax on food and food ingredients now, whereas last December we were collecting the full 6 cents. Gross receipts are a key indicator of consumer spending, which comprises roughly two-thirds of economic activity.
Individual income tax collections are 19.8% above projections (and 27% above December, 2006) and corporate income tax collections are 16.9% above forecast and 11% above December, 2006. Collections of individual income tax returns came in at $222.3 million, and corporate income tax collections were $58.1 million.
Stateline.org is analyzing this year's 11 governors' races across the country. The two races in 2007 (Louisiana and Kentucky) saw both executive positions fall to the opposing party. Currently, there are 28 Democratic governors and 22 Republican governors. Here's their rundown:
North Carolina and Delaware will be open seats this year due to term limits, and they're in the "worth watching" category. Both are currently held by Democrats.
The Stephens' DC Bureau has an article today about Arkansans stumping in Iowa for Hillary. Meanwhile, some are already turning their attention to South Carolina. This from today's The State (Columbia, SC):
U.S. Rep. Marion Berry, D-Ark., and Arkansas Attorney General Dustin McDaniel will campaign for U.S. Sen. Hillary Clinton in South Carolina today through Saturday.
The two will travel through the Upstate to meet with farmers, veterans and local Democratic Party members. Berry and McDaniel will have breakfast with local Democrats at 9 a.m. today at St. Paul Baptist Church, 606 W. Main St., Lexington.
Lubbock Avalanche: Legislators face election opposition Nashville Tennessean: Lottery starts new year with countdown glitch WWL-TV New Orleans: Differences linger one year after restaurant smoking ban The Oklahoman: Books are open on state spending Jackson Clarion-Ledger: AG takes rift with Barbour over election date to court Missourian: Governor to seek $100,000 for Historical Society of Missouri
I wanted to pass this along about Romney. He held a rally at the Cedar Rapids airport today (Wednesday). The Democrats are regularly getting 500 plus at their events. I went to a Biden event with at least 400 tonight. Well, Romney only had 50 people but he had 75 reporters. The lead story on the 10 o'clock news was this awful showing. Romney just looks uncomfortable. Huckabee might be the luckiest guy in the whole race to have such inept opponents.
The Clinton School Blog has predictions on tonight's caucuses, and don't forget that they'll have a watch party beginning at 7:30 tonight in Sturgis Hall.
This is the same position for which 2006 attorney general candidate and former Saline County Prosecutor Robert Herzfeld previously announced last Fall. 
