Key Republican Talks Tax Cuts, Budget & Redistricting

In a rare display of on-the-record legislative candor, State Sen. Gilbert Baker, R-Conway, shares insight on a variety of issues in an interview with Arkansas News Bureau political columnist John Brummett.

The on-camera interview will air on Talk Business on Sunday night at 10pm on Fox 16 and Monday night at 6pm on KUAR-FM 89.

Brummett previews the discussion with Baker, co-chair of the powerful Joint Budget Committee, in his Saturday column for the bureau. Some highlights:

• Baker confirms that lawmakers will push to eliminate $130 million in growth funding proposed by Gov. Mike Beebe. The money will be used strategically for targeted growth and additional tax cuts beyond the Governor’s half-cent grocery tax reduction.
• Baker says that some legislators – of both political stripes – are not in lock-step with the additional grocery tax cut proposed by Beebe. Baker does support it, but acknowledges that Republicans are not in agreement on potential tax cut measures.
• As vice-chairman of the Sen. State Agencies Committee, which will oversee Congressional redistricting, Baker says that maps are being floated among decision-makers. They include shifting Sebastian County from the Third District into the Fourth District.
• There is also discussion of splitting Pulaski County and moving more Democratic regions of the capital county to the Fourth District. End result: a potentially more Democratic Fourth and more Republican Second.

You can read more of Brummett’s thoughts at this link, and we offer this sneak peek video preview of the Baker-Brummett TV/radio interview below.