Arkansas

Arkansas tax cut proposals sail through committees on first day of special session • Arkansas Advocate

Published

5 months ago

June 17, 2024

Arkansas tax cut proposals sail through committees on first day of special session • Arkansas Advocate

Two committees of Arkansas lawmakers approved measures to decrease income taxes and increase the homestead tax credit on Monday, the first day of the Legislature’s second special session in nine months.

Both the House and Senate Revenue and Tax committees passed, with no dissent, identical bills that seek to cut the top corporate income tax rate from 4.8% to 4.3% and the top individual income tax rate from 4.4% to 3.9%, retroactive to Jan. 1 of this year.

These cuts would reduce the state’s general revenue by a cumulative $483.5 million in fiscal year 2025, which begins July 1, and by $322.2 million each fiscal year afterward, according to the state Department of Finance and Administration’s fiscal impact report on Senate Bill 1 and House Bill 1001.

The committees also passed Senate Bill 3 and House Bill 1002, which propose increasing the homestead property tax credit from $425 to $500. Lawmakers previously increased the tax credit from $375 to $425 during the 2023 legislative session.

Both SB1 and HB1001 have emergency clauses, meaning they would go into effect immediately upon Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ signature. If they become law, corporate income tax rates will have decreased by 2.8% and individual income tax rates by 1% since April of last year.

The Arkansas special session tax cuts explained

In April 2023, state lawmakers approved more than $100 million in cuts to the top individual and corporate tax rates. During September’s special session, legislators lowered the top individual and top corporate income tax rates from 4.7% to 4.4% and from 5.1% to 4.8%, respectively. They also created a one-time, non-refundable $150 tax credit for those earning up to about $90,000.

The tax cut bills will require $290 million in general revenue to be set aside in a reserve fund on July 2 in case the money is needed to make up for the decrease in state general revenue due to the tax cuts.

No one spoke for or against the homestead tax credit increase before either committee, and the Senate committee passed the proposal with no debate.

The credit is available to property owners on the property that is their primary residence, reducing their real property tax liability, which is paid at the county level.

The homestead bills propose that on or before Jan. 30 of each year, the state’s chief fiscal officer will report the balance of the Property Tax Relief Trust Fund, whether the fund could support an increase of the homestead property tax credit, and if so, how much of an increase the fund could support.

The trust fund had $255.6 million in it at the end of the 2023 calendar year, Paul Gehring, the finance department’s assistant commissioner of revenue policy and legal, told the House committee Monday.

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Tax cut discussion

Democratic lawmakers have criticized the proposed income tax cuts for primarily affecting wealthy Arkansans. Republicans, who hold supermajorities in both chambers of the Legislature, have said the cuts will keep money in the pockets of working people.

Nicholas Horton, founder and CEO of the conservative group Opportunity Arkansas, spoke in favor of the tax cuts before the House committee. Horton said the government “takes more than it needs,” echoing Rep. Les Eaves, R-Searcy, the House sponsor of both bills.

“Arkansas can’t continue to see $700, $800, $900 million surpluses and not think that we’re over-collecting from our citizens,” Eaves said.

Sen. Tyler Dees, R-Siloam Springs, said he hoped lower taxes would give people more resources to band together during disasters, such as the tornadoes that swept through his Northwest Arkansas district in May.

High death rates, unchanging poverty level puts Arkansas among worst states for child well-being

“What I’ve seen in the last three weeks is the speed of the private industries and individual citizens to give directly to those impacted instantly,” Dees said. “…I believe the best impact that we can have for those in need is to give dollars back to individual citizens so they can give back to their community.”

Keesa Smith-Brantley, executive director of Arkansas Advocates for Children and Families, said private entities do help people in difficult times, but not uniformly throughout the state, leaving some regions “severely neglected.”

Smith-Brantley spoke against the tax cut bills before both committees. She referenced the latest KIDS COUNT Data Book, released earlier this month, which shows that most areas of child well-being in Arkansas have been getting worse.

Arkansas’ position at 45th in overall child well-being is down two slots from its ranking the last two years, and the state has ranked as one of the country’s 10 worst states for overall child well-being nine times in the last decade.

Cutting taxes reduces the state’s ability to fund initiatives that would improve child well-being, such as early childhood education and health care for pregnant and postpartum Arkansans, Smith-Brantley said.

In response to questions from senators, Smith-Brantley noted that some state agencies that serve children and families have received stagnant or less funding over time in the state budget. The Division of Youth Services within the Department of Human Services received a 0.01% funding increase in the state budget that passed during this year’s fiscal session, but “that amount of funding doesn’t actually keep up with inflation,” she said.

“I know that you care about the children of our state and you want them to thrive, and to do so, some of the critical areas in our state need investment,” she told the Senate committee.

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Arkansas

Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Published

4 hours ago

November 23, 2024

Press Room

Steals, slams winning combo for Hoop Hogs against Little Rock

Behind a fully-torqued defensive effort, the No. 20 Arkansas Razorbacks (4-1) claimed victory 79-67 over the Little Rock Trojans inside Bud Walton Arena on Friday night in Fayetteville.

Arkansas’ intensity was evident at the get-go, as head coach John Calipari’s club ripped off five steals on Little Rock’s first five possessions, good enough to hand the Hoop Hogs a quick 11-0 advantage.

That pressure never relented in the first half, as the Razorbacks had eight steals and nine forced turnovers at the under-8 mark, and 10 steals and 11 forced turnovers by halftime.

“That first five or six minutes of the game we were a deer in headlights,” Little Rock head coach Darrell Walker, a former Razorback, said postgame. “We were terrified for no reason. We turned the ball over. Now, they got 19 turnovers. We turned the ball over 19 times and they got 28 points off of that. I told my team before the game, ‘We cannot have a lot of turnovers. If you do, this team is really good in the open court. You put them in half court you’re going to have a chance to get in the game.’”

Leading the way for most hands in the cookie jar was forward Adou Thiero (six steals), though five Razorbacks recorded at least one steal and four Hogs totaled 2+ steals.

“The biggest plays were effort plays,” Calipari said of Thiero. “Those were the biggest plays he made. He had six steals — all effort steals. Just he out-worked the other guy to get the ball.”

As a result of the defensive ferocity, Arkansas pushed the pace in transition to the tune of 22 fastbreak points, 28 points off turnovers and five slams through both halves.

“From watching all the film of all the games they’ve played, I knew this was going to be an off-the-dribble game,” Walker said. “And when they shoot the ball well they can become dangerous. But they really an off-the-dribble team and a transition team right now. I’m sure Cal is still trying to figure things out. This is early in the season, just like I’m trying to figure things out with my basketball team. He’s got some key guys hurt.”

One can’t mention Arkansas’ up-and-down court explosion without further crediting Thiero, who racked up a team-high 23 points, a team-high eight rebounds, two blocks and pulled off an immaculate left-handed windmill transition dunk.

“There was a will to win,” Calipari said. “I don’t care who it’s against. When a game gets like that, that stuff was on us, and Adou making that play on the offensive rebound, again, he’s standing out how he’s playing. He’s getting it done.”

Up next, Arkansas will close its home-stand with a matchup against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Monday. That game is set to tip-off at 7 p.m. CT and will stream on SEC Network+.

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Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

Published

13 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas basketball vs Little Rock score today: Live updates, game highlights, how to watch

FAYETTEVILLE — Arkansas basketball will welcome one of the best players in program history back to Bud Walton Arena tonight.

The No. 24 Razorbacks (3-1) will host Little Rock (3-2) Friday. The Trojans are coached by Darrell Walker, who was a consensus All-American for the Razorbacks in 1983 and is a member of the Arkansas Sports Hall of Fame, the Southwest Conference Hall of Fame and the University of Arkansas Sports Hall of Honor.

The Hogs are in the midst of a four-game homestand and are coming off a 91-72 victory over Pacific Monday. They’ve been stingy through the early portion of the season and rank 10th in the nation in KenPom’s defensive efficiency metric.

This will be just the second meeting between the two Natural State programs. Arkansas won 93-78 in 2021, and the Trojans are coming off a road victory over Tulsa in their most recent contest.

Below are live score updates, highlights and other notes from Arkansas basketball’s fifth game of the season.

Arkansas basketball vs. Little Rock score updates

This section will be updated when the game begins.

What time does Arkansas vs. Little Rock play today?

Date: Friday, Nov. 22
Time: 8 p.m. CT
Location: Fayetteville

What channel is Arkansas vs. Little Rock game on today?

TV channel: SEC Network
Streaming: FUBO (Free Trial), ESPN+

Arkansas vs. Little Rock live stream options

Arkansas vs. Little Rock will be broadcast on SEC Network. The matchup can also be streamed with a subscription to FUBO, which has the option for a free trial, and ESPN+, which includes ESPNU and all other ESPN channels.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock prediction

Arkansas 79, Little Rock 63: This game could follow a familiar theme to earlier home games, with a mid-major squad staying close thanks to 3-pointers, but Arkansas’ talent eventually wearing out the opposition. A blowout is more likely if one of Trevon Brazile or Jonas Aidoo returns to the floor for the Hogs.

Arkansas vs. Little Rock betting odds

Game lines and odds from BetMGM as of Friday morning:

Spread: Arkansas -20.5
Over/under: 143.5
Moneyline: Little Rock +1250

Arkansas basketball schedule

Record: 3-1

(Next five games)

Little Rock, Nov. 22
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 25
Illinois (Kansas City), Nov. 28
at Miami, Dec. 3
UTSA, Dec. 7

Little Rock schedule

Record: 3-2

(Next five games)

at Arkansas, Nov. 22
at Illinois, Nov. 25
Maryland Eastern Shore, Nov. 27
Central Arkansas, Dec. 4
Ouachita Baptist University, Dec. 10

Arkansas basketball news

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Arkansas high school football second-round playoff scores, live updates (11/22/2024)

Published

21 hours ago

November 22, 2024

Press Room

Arkansas high school football second-round playoff scores, live updates (11/22/2024)

Second-round playoff games take place across the state Friday, November 22, in the Arkansas high school football postseason.

You can follow all of the AAA playoff football games and get updated scores by tracking the SBLive/SI Arkansas High School Football Scoreboard.

Arkansas (AAA) high school football playoffs: 2024 brackets, Round 2 matchups, game times

High School on SI will have in-game score updates and all of the final scores from every corner of the state. You can also search for full schedules and complete scores from all of your favorite teams.

Here’s your guide to catching all of the Round 2 Arkansas high school football playoff action on Friday night (November 22, 2024).

STATEWIDE ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD

CLASS 7A SCORES

CLASS 6A SCORES

CLASS 5A SCORES

CLASS 4A SCORES

CLASS 3A SCORES

CLASS 2A SCORES

CLASS 8 MAN SCORES

2024 ARKANSAS FOOTBALL SCHEDULES: FIND YOUR TEAM

Can’t make it to your favorite team’s game but still want to watch them live? You can watch dozens of Arkansas high school football games live on the NFHS Network:

WATCH AAA GAMES LIVE ON NFHS NETWORK

Want to know how your team finished the regular season? Find out where they landed in our final computer rankings:

And don’t forget to visit the brand new Arkansas homepage on High School on SI, powered by SBLive Sports, for all the latest news, highlights, analysis, scores, photos and information on Arkansas high school sports. Follow our live game coverage and read our feature stories, breaking news, the latest recruiting news, rankings and much more.