Woods Highlights Pritchard Tax Increase Votes in Candidate Forum

There are a handful of interesting state legislative primaries developing around the state – one of which is the Republican primary in Senate District 7 where incumbent Sen. Bill Pritchard is having to fight off a challenge from Rep. Jon Woods.

Today, the two met for a high noon showdown in a forum in Fayetteville sponsored by the Washington County Republican Women.  Woods shocked the crowd by presenting a mountain of documents detailing six vote’s Pritchard has cast over his time as a state legislator for over $559 million in tax increases.

Pritchard was first elected to the House in 2000 where he served until being term limited and elected to the Senate in 2006.  The votes include both his time in the House and Senate and is backed up with the voting records and impact statements from the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration.

Here are the votes:

• $375.6 million – Wholesale Vending and Sales Tax Increase – 2003
• $106.9 million – Tobacco, Corporate, Individual Income Tax – 2003
• $57.19 million – Severance Tax – 2008
• $8.8 million – Corporate Franchise Tax – 2003
• $6 million – Cigarette Tax – 2003
• $4.9 million – Milk Tax – 2009

“Sen. Pritchard’s record stands for itself,” said Woods in an interview following the forum. “He’s voted for over $550 million in new taxes. I have never voted to raise taxes. Six years ago when I first ran for the state house, I signed a no new taxes pledge. Now that I’m running for state senate I’ve re-signed that pledge. My opponent has never signed that pledge and he refused to do so again this election.”

I have contacted Sen. Pritchard for a response and will post it if does.

Here is the document provided by the Woods Campaign to back up his claims.