Talk Politics

Covering Arkansas Politics

Lawmakers Open Session On Hunt For Private Option Votes

The Arkansas General Assembly opened its 2014 fiscal session on Monday (Feb. 10) with state lawmakers hunting votes to fund the private option, alter a special election schedule, and possibly…

Talk Business Magazine To Come Back In-house

Roby Brock, owner and editor-in-chief of Talk Business Arkansas, has ended his publishing arrangement with Vowell, Inc. and is moving the popular magazine back in house where it has previously…

Cook: Republicans In Panic Mode Over Arkansas Governor’s Race

Arkansas and national Republicans are getting desperate when it comes to our gubernatorial race. It seems their likely nominee, Asa Hutchinson, is in a free-fall and in desperate need of…

Arkansas Higher Ed Combatting Online Course Offerings

Arkansas colleges and universities have been offering online classes for years, but as many as 73 out-of-state post secondary schools with aggressive advertising campaigns have been eating into local market…

Three Votes Will Define The Fiscal Session

The 2014 legislative fiscal session will be remembered for two words – Private Option – and three potential votes.

Weekend Digest: The Starting A Fashion Trend Edition

For our weekend business and political readers: CROWDFUNDING HELPS PAY FOR OLYMPIC DREAM The Sochi, Russia Winter Olympic Games will be in full swing this weekend where American athletes will…

Shoffner Indicted On New Charges of Mail Fraud

The U.S. Attorney’s office announced that new charges were handed down by a federal grand jury charging former Arkansas State Treasurer Martha Shoffner with ten counts of mail fraud. Mail…

Thomas F. “Mack” McLarty: A Global Career Grounded In Hope

Editor’s note: This story, written by Eric Francis, appears in the latest magazine edition of Talk Business Arkansas. McLarty will be inducted in the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame on…

Sen. Lamoureux Limits Role As Second In Command

Sen. Michael Lamoureux (R-Russellville), President of the Arkansas State Senate, is next in line to serve as Governor following the resignation of Lt. Governor Mark Darr on Jan. 31. Lamoureux…

Ross Proposes Phase-in Of Income Tax Reform (UPDATE)

Democratic gubernatorial candidate Mike Ross proposed a major overhaul of the state’s personal income tax structure on Wednesday (Feb. 5) and said the plan would have to be phased in…

Double-digit Gains For Electronic Gambling At Oaklawn, Southland In 2013

Don’t bet against Oaklawn or Southland. The two Arkansas venues with casino-style gaming saw double-digit spikes in their overall electronic games of skill (EGS) revenues in 2013.

Arkansas’ January Tax Revenue Hit By Weak Retail Sales

The percentage increase in year-to-date Arkansas gross tax collections fell to 2.1% in January compared to a 3.4% level in the December report. Also, sales and use tax collections continue…

Stanley E. Reed: The Renaissance Farmer

Editor’s note: This story, written by Eric Francis, appears in the latest magazine edition of Talk Business Arkansas. Reed will be inducted in the Arkansas Business Hall of Fame on…

Former Insurance Regulator Forms Consulting Group

Former Insurance Commissioner and former CEO of the Arkansas Workers’ Compensation Commission, Julie Benafield, has formed a new government affairs consulting firm called The Benafield Group, PLLC. Benafield, who has…

Cook: Let Mark Darr’s Staff Stay

On February 1st, Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr officially resigned from office under a cloud of controversy brought on by numerous ethical failings on his part. Now there is a valid…

Talk Politics With Gov. Mike Beebe

Gov. Mike Beebe said Tuesday there are a “multiplicity” of reasons Arkansas Legislators should vote to fund Arkansas’ private option plan, and he also took a shot at Republican gubernatorial candidates who “don’t understand the budget” with respect to the private option.

Capitol View: Can PO Funding Survive Until Policy Changes Can Be Made?

An architect of Arkansas’ private option and one of its chief critics agree that the battle for its funding fate in the upcoming fiscal session will be to help the health insurance plan survive until more policy changes can be made in the 2015 regular session.