by - March 19, 2013 5:18 pm
Protecting animal protection
As The City Wire has reported, Sen. Gary Stubblefield, R-Branch, introduced two anti-speech bills, SB 13/SB 14, that, if passed, will criminalize the actions of those who dare to document…
Guest Commentary
by - March 17, 2013 3:32 pm
It is almost thievery
Past due accounts receivable has to be one of the most aggravating problems a business owner must confront. As a business owner, you perform the work, incur significant costs, and…
by - March 9, 2013 7:00 am
Student health, abortions and tax reform
The issues facing members on the House floor this week ranged from Medicaid reform to funding court assistants. By the end of our 8th week in session, close to 900…
by - March 5, 2013 4:04 pm
Decisions dilemma
• The Senate Report: Week 7 review When I ran for office the first time, I didn’t know what a State Representative or Senator did. I had never been to the…
by - March 3, 2013 10:25 pm
Sequester your own budget
What a non-event this sequestration was! We listen to the news where journalists and politicians, in a near frenzy, predict dire consequences for our country and everybody within its borders…
by - March 3, 2013 10:13 pm
A school security primer
After much of the shock, anger, and outrage has passed following the tragic shooting at the Sandy Hook School, it is time to take an apolitical look at making real…
by - February 26, 2013 7:16 pm
What is going on?
• The Senate Report: Week 6 review Red carpet. Celebrities. Lots of hoopla. That may be fine for the Oscars, but it is not a typical day in the life of a…
by - February 22, 2013 4:12 pm
Veterans, abortions and steel
By the end of our 6th week in session, the Governor signed over 140 bills into law. 76 of those bills originated in the House. Over 450 bills have been filed in…
by - February 19, 2013 7:25 am
Return on investment
• The Senate Report : Week 5 review Let’s start with a simple premise. Money is finite. It can go anywhere. It is like water in that it will go where there is…
by - February 17, 2013 9:06 pm
State government and basic math
I’ve been fighting and arguing with a certain business assessor in the Sebastian County Tax Assessor Office for at least two years, probably more. I am right and she is…
by - February 11, 2013 10:52 am
Let’s talk about jobs
• Senate Report: Week 4 review The 89th General Assembly has passed a few bills thus far and has made headway on a few topics. We have had genuine conversation in…
by - February 6, 2013 5:26 pm
Busting GOP myths
“Government Doesn’t Create Jobs” “Arkansas is not a good jobs magnet.” The above phrases are among the top GOP mythologies parroted often by Republicans, with the first phrase even recited…
by - February 6, 2013 8:36 am
Walmart suppliers must embrace ‘startup mindset’
In the supplier community that circles its wagons around the Walmart corporate headquarters in Bentonville, change is constant. Ten years ago companies like Heinz, Pepsi, and Kellogg’s had teams on…
by - February 5, 2013 2:33 pm
The Oklahoma report
In recent years, Oklahoma’s state government has played a vital supporting role to the private sector, helping to promote a business friendly environment that has lead to a net gain…
by - February 4, 2013 12:12 pm
Bill filing and bill killing
• Senate Report: Week 3 review This past week saw some extremely positive news from the Governor with the announcement of our state’s first “Super Project” which happened to be…
by - February 3, 2013 4:13 pm
Open season
Tax Season 2013 is open! Kind of. Jan. 30 marked the first day that individual taxpayers were able to file their federal income tax returns. This day was later than…
by - February 1, 2013 2:17 pm
A week for job news
This week, Arkansas landed the largest economic-development project in its history. Big River Steel plans to build a $1.1 billion steel mill near Osceola that will employ 525 people. The…
by - January 21, 2013 1:10 pm
The debates begin
• Senate Report: Week 1 review If pomp and circumstance is appealing to you, then the first couple of days of the Session would be quite exciting. There are grand gestures…
by - January 20, 2013 6:36 pm
Staying under 50
An obstacle to small business growth beginning in 2014 is the provision of the Affordable Care Act that requires businesses with more than 50 full-time equivalent employees to provide their…
by - January 17, 2013 6:26 pm
The confidence factor
Confidence is a funny thing. The mere existence of confidence about the future among the players in an economy can lead to growth, while the absence of assurance often guarantees…