Government Affairs Local Legislative Update
February 6, 2007
Proposed Regional Mobility Authority Amendments (download pdf)
Northwest Arkansas Legislative Priorities (download pdf)
Government Affairs Update: As you know, I recently joined the
Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce in November to assist
in achieving the Capital Campaign Government Affairs initiative.
The Government Affairs Division is the communication program
between business and government that identifies priorities of
business as well as quality-of-life issues. We educate and advocate for
these priorities of our membership to the proper government body.
With the 86th Arkansas General Assembly convening January 8, state
government has been my primary focus. I have been spending several
days each week in Little Rock at the State Capitol promoting the legislative
priorities identified by the Government Affairs Committee of the Chamber
and other regional chambers. The Northwest Arkansas Legislative Priorities
are attached.
Communication with our membership is a priority. You will receive a weekly
Government Affairs Local Legislative Update email on issues of relevance to
our membership. Please forward to appropriate contacts or advise me of
changes or additional contacts. If you do not wish to receive this weekly
email please notify me at govtaffairs@RogersLowell.com If you have inquires,
please do not hesitate to contact me:
Martine Downs, Vice President Government Affairs
Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
317 West Walnut, Rogers, AR 72756
479-619-3193 martine@RogersLowell.com
Manufacturers Sales Tax Exemption for Utility Costs: We are actively
pursuing this potential exemption and currently supporting the adoption
of Senate Bill 119 sponsored by Senator Barbara Horn from Foreman.
The following is a link to the bill’s text: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us/ftproot/bills/2007/public/SB119.pdf
This is a bill to promote economic development in Arkansas by providing
similar
sales tax treatment for manufacturing as our surrounding states.
If approved, this
would be an encouragement for existing manufacturing
operations to stay, encourage
expansion of existing operations and attract
new operations. If this bill is successful,
it would also help entire local
economies when a manufacturer chooses to stay in the
area or expand its
operation or when a local area gains a new manufacturing operation.
Currently Oklahoma, Texas and Missouri charge no sales tax on manufacturers’
utility
costs while Tennessee and Mississippi charge 1.5%. Louisiana currently charges
3.3%
with electricity exempted for forest products and a cap on natural gas taxes
for all
manufacturers. There is also legislation seeking a full exemption in Louisiana.
In addition,
35 other states provide some kind of sales tax relief for their
manufacturers.
You may leave a message for your Representative by calling 501-682-6211 or your
Senator by calling
501-682-2902. Legislators’ email addresses can be found on the
General Assembly web site at www.arkleg.state.ar.us
Regional Mobility Authority: We are actively pursing the adoption of Regional
Mobility Authority Amendment legislation. A regional mobility authority (RMA)
is a political subdivision formed by a city, county, a geographically designated
portion of a city or county, or a combination of the above for the purposes of
planning, constructing, operating, funding, or purchasing improvements to a
surface transportation system. Due to pursuing sign off by a number of agencies,
organizations and legislators a bill has not yet been filed. I anticipate a bill to
be
filed soon. The attached RMA summary and background information is
provided by
Mike Malone, executive director of the Northwest Arkansas Council.
Bills filed in the 86th General Assembly: To date, the House has filed 378 bills
and the Senate has filed 249 bills. The following is a link to bills being tracked by
the State Chamber/AIA that are of particular interest to the business community
and industry: http://tracking.weknowarkansas.org/allbills.php
New Arkansas Highway Commissioner: Governor Mike Beebe named Cliff Hoofman of North Little Rock to the Arkansas Highway Commission on January
18. Hoofman will fill the at-large seat on the Highway Commission,
replacing Mary “Prissy” Hickerson, whose term expired at the end of January.
The position is a ten-year appointment. For details: http://www.arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx?aid=96768.54928.108897
New ADED Director: Maria Haley has been appointed by Governor Mike Beebe as
the new director of the Arkansas Department of Economic Development, effective
2/26/07. For details: http://arkansasbusiness.com/article.aspx
Other State Agency Governor Appointments: For other recent Governor
appointments: http://www.arkansas.gov/governor/newsroom
Legislative Forums: The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce and the Bentonville-Bella Vista Chamber of Commerce hosted the first Legislative Forum
of the year sponsored by Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas and the John Q.
Hammons Center on January 27. Approximately 50 Chamber
members were in attendance. Participating legislators included Senator David
Bisbee, Senator Kim Hendren, Representative Keven Anderson, Representative
Horace Hardwick, Representative Aaron Burkes, and Representative Donna Hutchinson.
The Legislative Forums are scheduled every other Saturday morning during the
state’s legislative sessions (held every two years). The forums provide members
with the opportunity to meet with
area legislators to discuss topics of interest being addressed during the session.
The February
Forums are Saturday, February 10 and Saturday, February 24 at the Embassy
Suites Northwest Arkansas. Breakfast begins at 7 a.m. with the forums kicking off
approximately at 7:30 a.m. Legislative Forums are free and open to members, but
reservations are required by registering
online at www.RogersLowell.com or e-mail martine@RogersLowell.com
I want to thank Embassy Suites Northwest Arkansas and the John Q. Hammons
Center for their sponsorship of this year's Legislative Forums!
Government Affairs Committee: The Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of
Commerce will hold Government Affairs Committee meetings in the Baggett-Trammel Conference
Room on the third Friday of each month at noon (2/16, 3/16, 4/20, 5/18, 6/15, 7/20,
8/17, 9/21, 10/19, 11/16 and 12/21). If you are interested in participating please email martine@RogersLowell.com.
Daily Arkansas Legislative Updates: If you are not already receiving the Daily Legislative
Update provided by the Arkansas State Chamber of Commerce and the Associate Industries
of Arkansas please
let me know by contacting me at govtaffairs@RogersLowell.com.
Please do note hesitate to contact me with any questions on the above information.
Best regards,
Martine L. Downs
Vice President Government Affairs
Rogers-Lowell Area Chamber of Commerce
317 West Walnut
Rogers, AR 72756
479.619.3193
Fax: 479.636.5485
martine@RogersLowell.com
Visit our website at:www.RogersLowell.com
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