Accomplishments

Accomplishments (1995-2024)

  • Two dozen reports and studies
  • More than 350 online research memos and notes
  • Citations in all Arkansas daily markets and national economic media (Wall Street Journal, Investors’ Business Daily, Forbes)

Fiscal Policy

  • State Government Reorganization, agency reduction from 42 to 15 (2019)
  • Reduction in Arkansas Income Tax Rate (2013-2024)

    (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation studies, “Improving Productivity by Reducing Taxes” and “Taxes and Savings In Arkansas.”)

  • Reduction in Arkansas Capital Gains Tax Rate (1999)
  • Reduction in Arkansas Capital Gains Tax Rate (2013)
    (50% total reduction)

    (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation studies, “Improving Productivity by Reducing Taxes” and “Taxes and Savings In Arkansas.”

  • Reduction (98%) in Arkansas Sales Tax on Groceries (2007, 2009, 2011, 2019)

    (Source: 2002 Policy Foundation research memo, “Free Market Economists and the State Sales Tax on Food;” 2006 Policy Foundation study, “Roadmap for Arkansas Prosperity”)

  • Performance-Based Budgeting
      • State Pilot Program (1999)
      • Expanded (2001), later discontinued
      • (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation study, “Making Arkansas’ State Government Performance Driven and Accountable: Four Reforms State Government Can Implement Now to Save Taxpayers Millions”)
  • Arkansas State Police Retirement System merger with Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System (2009)

    (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation study, “The Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System)

Education Policy

  • Private School Choice voucher program (2015)
  • Charter School Expansion (1999, 2005, 2007, 2011, 2013)

    (Source: 1996 Policy Foundation study, “Arkansas’ Weak Charter School Law”)

  • Expanded School Choice (1999, 2011, 2018)
  • District and School Report Cards (1999)
  • Teacher Performance Pay
      • Little Rock (2004)
      • State Pilot Program (2007)
      • (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation study, “Arkansas’ Public Schools…A 30-Year $20 Billion Taxpayer Investment Yields An Unprecedented Crisis in Academic Performance”)
  • Uniform Accounting System (post-2003)
  • Administrative Restructuring (post-2004), partial (66 districts)

    (Source: 1998 Policy Foundation study, “Streamlining and Cost-Saving Opportunities in Arkansas’ K-12 Public Education System”)

    Making A Difference In Arkansas

    The Arkansas Council on Economic Education (ACEE) is a private, non-profit, non-partisan, educational organization founded in 1962 to promote economic literacy in Arkansas. www.economicsarkansas.org

    Journal Publications

    ‘Regulation of financial derivatives in the U.S. code’ Derivatives Use, Trading and Regulation (London, U.K.)  Palgrave Macmillian Ltd.
    February 2006 

    ‘Deflation & Economic Growth’ QJAE (Piscataway, N.J.) Transaction Periodicals Consortium, Rutgers University
    Summer 2006

    Policy Foundation research on this topic cited by Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe 

    ‘A review of state statutes regulating financial derivatives in the USA’ Pensions, an International Journal (London, U.K.)
    Palgrave Macmillian Ltd. 2004