It?s About Time for Amendment 2 (Editorial)

A well-deserved “amen” to the editors of the Benton County Daily Record, who in their Nov. 7 editorial about the recent passage of Amendment 2 called it “a good start.” They stole our punch line.

We’ve hollered in these pages about the need for more enlightened state corporate taxes and economic development tools until we’re blue in the keyboard. So we’re glad the voters approved the ability to issue general-obligation bonds for infrastructure projects, although applauding the effort too loudly in 2004 feels a little like congratulating an old dog for not going “number two” in the house. Fido should have already learned.

Folks, we’re not advocating giving away the goose, but when Arkansas rates among the 10 least tax-friendly states to corporations in America it’s hard to be sympathetic when a major manufacturer chooses (pause to sigh) Texas — which rates among the Top 5 friendliest.

We’re not convinced the average manufacturing job is the answer in the first place, but we support anything that can help slow the drying up of so many Delta towns as international factors continue to pressure agriculture. It’s also time for the state’s institutions of higher education to begin producing a better product so that we can attract more of those high-wage, high-pay jobs to which we’ve heard politicians lend so much lip service.

Hopefully state legislators, particularly those from the eastern and southern parts of the state, will see that the long-term ripple benefits of substantial corporate investment outweigh short-term incentive plans.

We’re not there yet, but it’s a start.

Remember the Farmers

Speaking of agriculture, the state’s farmers set records for yields and production in cotton, soybeans and rice while corn yields look to be the second largest on record and the wheat yield the fourth largest. The downside is that, unlike 2003, when prices finally improved for farmers, global market forces may make this year’s prices for those commodities negative.

Blame part of it on nations having to shell out more for oil and on increased competition worldwide as countries grow more to feed themselves and to sell on the market.

Particularly in Benton and Washington counties, which are No. 1 in nearly every non-row crop category, we should be thankful for our bounty. The cattle industry brought in its highest prices in history this year, boosted by drought in other major cattle-producing states. And Arkansas remains one of the largest chicken and turkey producers in the world.

As we get close to Thanksgiving, we’re grateful for all those who keep us fed — and at a far more reasonable price than most places in the world.