Child and family well-being advocates in Arkansas are criticizing the state legislature's focus on tax cuts, saying more needs to be done to support existing programs before another round of cuts is considered.
Members of the Arkansas Coalition for Strong Families met at the State Capitol Tuesday amid an ongoing special session. Lawmakers are considering bills to reduce the state’s highest individual income tax rate from 4.4% to 3.9%, and the top corporate income tax rate from 4.8% to 4.3%.
The coalition presented a list of problems burdening vulnerable Arkansans, arguing the focus on tax cuts is misplaced. Syard Evans is the CEO of Arkansas Support Network and co-chair of the coalition. She pointed to recent reports that show Arkansas falls far behind other states in critical areas of success and well-being for children and families.
“There are so many areas where Arkansas is lagging behind other states, where we can do better to ensure that Arkansas is the best place to live and raise a family.”
Evans then went through the list of 20 areas she and other coalition members have tried to raise awareness for, adding they have seen funding troubles persist while the legislature cuts taxes. The list highlights Arkansas’ low rankings in the areas of maternal health, childhood hunger and poverty, and education outcomes.
Evans says the legislature needs to address each of these issues, several of which have already been signed into law, such as the Arkansas Housing Trust Fund, which was given $500,000 in 2014, but hasn’t received a sustained source of funding since.
“Unfortunately we have a number of initiatives like that, where people have worked, communities have organized to put forward some practical issues about what we all really need, but it’s not uncommon to see a bill passed but not be able to get that sustained funding authorized and improved.” Evans said, adding lawmakers should look closer at how taking over $400 million out of the budget will impact vulnerable Arkansans.
The pair of identical tax cut bills have advanced through the House and Senate, and could receive a final vote as early as Wednesday.
