Gov. Sanders ready for fiscal session

Arkansas Gov. Sarah Sanders is ready to push forward on several budget priorities, but major issues — such as prison funding and tax cuts — remain a negotiable item heading into the state’s fiscal session.

The Arkansas General Assembly convenes Wednesday, April 8, to solely take up budget items related to state agencies and funding. Sanders has submitted a $6.8 billion proposed budget, but state lawmakers have wide latitude over approving the budget.

“I’m excited about where the state is,” Sanders said in an interview taped Friday (March 19) with Talk Business & Politics Editor-in-Chief Roby Brock. “We’re in a great financial position, which allows us to continue investing in the key priorities that we have partnered with the Legislature on over the last several years. Education, public safety, the pay plan that we passed and instituted last year, really supporting state government employees.”

Sanders budget proposal outlines $194 million in new funding for Education Freedom Accounts (EFAs), her school voucher program that has already consumed $300 million in state funding. The governor said progress is being made on the education front, and while the price tag has climbed for EFAs, she thinks it will soon level off.

“I think there are a lot of different elements of the LEARNS Act that we’re seeing work,” she said. “We spend north of $2 billion on public education in the state of Arkansas, and now we’re spending a little over $300 million on Education Freedom Accounts … the real story here is that we are providing opportunity so that every single kid in our state has access and the ability to learn. That’s a good thing.

“After this year, things balance out some in terms of dollars truly following the student. So I don’t have any concerns about the sustainability of the (EFA) program. What I do have a concern about is not allowing every kid to have opportunity.”

PRISONS, TAX CUTS
Sanders’ budget did not include funding requests for a new prison in Franklin County. The governor advocated last session for more than $750 million for a 3,000-bed prison site there, but it was met with overwhelming local resistance and couldn’t muster enough votes for passage.

Sanders said the state has added about 1,500 new beds since she became governor, but more are needed.

“We haven’t built a prison in over 25 years, and if we continue to wait another 25 years, the cost goes up and frankly, so does our crime,” she said. “I don’t think that we should allow that to happen. I want to work with this Legislature to get to a solution. I still think Franklin County is the best option available, and we’re going to continue to push to expand capacity because we know it’s something that we need here in the state.”

Acknowledging the political dynamics to garnering votes for funding a new prison in Franklin County hasn’t changed after the primary elections, Sanders said she is putting the onus on lawmakers to find a solution.

“I think some of that falls on the Legislature,” she said. “They have to decide if they want to get serious about addressing the public safety concerns that we have here in the state.”

The foundation is laid for more tax cuts, Sanders said, but what that cut will be is not yet determined. She hinted she will negotiate with legislators during the fiscal session to determine the size of a tax cut.

“We’ve already been able to lower our state income tax by 20%,” she said. “That’s something that I think is incredible over the course of only three years. And at the end of the day, we want to get down to zero. We’re going to continue to chip away until we phase out the state income tax completely, and I think we’re on track.”

Sanders also said simplifying state tax brackets is something she wants to address.

“It’s not just about the (tax) cut,” she said. “I think another big piece of this is simplifying the tax code so that we’re setting ourselves up for a long-term path of getting to zero. I think that’s something we’re going to see in this session.”

With a $334 million projected budget surplus, Sanders said there a number of one-time projects she wants the Legislature to consider.

“There are a handful of one-time funding projects that I think that we can spend and invest money in, but I don’t think that it is a good use of dollars to invest one-time money in long-term projects,” she said. “I know there are several things that the legislature will come to the table with, and we’re in back-and-forth negotiations with them on what they look like.

“I think one of the big things that you will see is the Division of Ag. That has been an ongoing back-and-forth partnership, both with the state as well as the federal government. We’ve been working really closely with Sen. (John) Boozman (R-Ark.), who as you know, is the chairman of the Senate Ag Committee, on a very big project that we’re going to invest in pretty significantly from the state side, as well as with a partnership on the federal side.”

NEW BOOK
Sanders has written a new book called “Unapologetic.” It is autobiographical and chronicles her faith journey in public service and life. It will be released in November.

“It really is a lot about my story of listening to God, leaning on my faith, and how I have used that to lead in the role that I have now as governor,” she said. “It’s really Arkansas’ success story. I want to take every single opportunity I have to talk about what we’ve been able to accomplish here. I consider myself the chief salesperson of Arkansas, and I want more and more people to see what we do every single day, that this is the best state to live, to work, and to raise a family. So you’ll see a lot of that reflected on the pages of this book.”

Sanders said the book title is an expression of not apologizing for being the person that she believes God created. When asked if the autobiography is a prelude to a presidential campaign, which she said in a recent interview has crossed her mind, Sanders said the timing of this book is a way for her to talk about her term as governor as she seeks reelection in what she considers a tough environment for Republicans.

“My focus right now, you know I’m in the middle of my reelect and the only election that I’m focused on is one, winning my race and helping other Republicans up and down the ticket, both in Arkansas and around the country during the midterms,” she said. “It’s no secret that we have a difficult midterm ahead of us. And so my focus is going to be on that and what happens from there.

“I love the job I have and look forward to being governor for the next four years after I get reelected in November. And this is a way for me to talk about all the things that we’ve done here. It’s something I’m proud of and I hope that people will enjoy the book as much as I have.”

Sanders faces Sen. Fred Love, D-Little Rock, and Libertarian nominee Colt Shelby in the general election for governor.

You can watch Sanders’ full interview in the video below.