Jefferson County stalemate inspires bill to revert local budgets

by Steve Brawner ([email protected]) 119 views 

Lawmakers planned to file a bill Monday (Feb. 3) that would require cities and counties to revert to the previous year’s budget if they haven’t written one by Feb. 7 each year.

Gov. Sarah Sanders announced the legislation in a news conference flanked by legislators who represent Jefferson County, the inspiration for the bill.

Sanders said the legislation will pass “as quickly as possible.” She estimated passage would occur by early next week.

The bill’s sponsors are Sen. Ben Gilmore, R-Crossett, and Rep. Glenn Barnes, D-Pine Bluff.

Gilmore said in an interview that as of that morning, the bill’s annual deadline for cities and counties to have a budget would be Feb. 7.

“We just hope that we can get something done and end this nonsense, candidly,” he said. “We just need the officials to take care of their business, and at this point, unfortunately, they’ve not been able to do that, so we have to step in.”

Jefferson County Judge Gerald Robinson and quorum court members have been in a stalemate over passing this year’s budget, resulting in a shutdown of government services and county employees not being paid.

Sanders said the issue is personal because Pine Bluff was her first home. She said one White Hall resident could not get a license for his truck because no one is working in the assessor’s office, and he couldn’t make a change to his real estate taxes because no one is working in the real estate office.

A corporal in the sheriff’s office had not been paid in a month. A single mom, she had not been to the grocery store in weeks, and her bank account was almost $1,000 in the negative.

“These people work hard,” said Sanders. “They contribute to their community, and they pay their taxes, and they deserve a government with as much common sense and decency as they have. I respect our communities, and I respect the leaders they elect to serve them. But at the end of the day, we cannot let this situation go on for any longer. So we are stepping in and collectively working together to make sure that the people of Jefferson County are taken care of.”