Blog

(May 11, 2020) The longest economic expansion in U.S. history ended in February, a Policy Foundation analysis of four coincident indicators shows. The Foundation’s findings were published yesterday by TalkBusiness,  an Arkansas site that reports on commerce. The report notes nonfarm payroll employment, a coincident indicator, peakedin February, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor […]

(April 2020) A 5th generation Arkansan, Tim Griffin was raised in Magnolia and has served as Arkansas lieutenant governor since 2015.1 A fiscal conservative, Lt. Gov. Griffin spoke at the Policy Foundation’s 20th anniversary event in 2015 with Gov. Asa Hutchinson. Lt. Gov. Griffin served on the Transformation Advisory Board, a 15-member citizens panel (2017-18) […]

“The most callused aspect of the (Arkansas) education monopoly is that it willingly and deliberately forces children–except those whose parents have wealth–to attend bad schools. And it does so with financial resources taken from parents already struggling financially and at the expense of their ability to choose a better school for their sons and daughters.” […]

(March 2020) Arkansas’ top income tax rate declined from 6.9% to 6.6% but is still second-highest in the southeast region, trailing only South Carolina (7.0%), according to records from the Federation of State Tax Administrators.1 South Carolina 7.0% Arkansas 6.6% West Virginia 6.5% Louisiana 6.0% Georgia 5.75% Virginia 5.75% North Carolina 5.25% Alabama 5.0% Kentucky […]

(January 2020) Three years ago, a government-imposed monopoly existed in Little Rock, interfering with anentrepreneur and limiting consumer choice to one taxicab company. Today, more competition exists thanks to a successful legal challenge1 handled by Justin Pearson, an attorney with the Institute for Justice. The Policy Foundation recently interviewed Pearson about the case. Policy Foundation: […]

“The first problem is state spending that exceeds U.S. and regional averages on a per capita basis.” Arkansas Policy Foundation, February 2019 memo (January 2020) Total Operating Expenditures for the State of Arkansas increased $1.49 billion between FY 2015 and FY 2017, public records show.1 Total Operating Expenditures   (2015) $23,596,144,446 (2017) $25,090,401,084   $1,494,256,638 […]

“A short-term budgetary link should be established between the Consumer Price Index (CPI) and total operational expenditures by agencies.” Policy Foundation Efficiency Project recommendation, 2016 (December 2019) Social services operating expenditures totaled $8.1 billion (FY2017), consuming nearly one-third (32%) of total state spending in this area. Only one other department–Education–topped $1 billion, records show. 1 […]

(November 2019) More K-12 students are now enrolled in the Pulaski County school choice market than in the Little Rock School District, public records show.   An Arkansas Department of Education spokesperson provided current year (2019-2020) K-12 enrollment figures in response to a public information request:   Little Rock School District                               21,472 students1   The school […]

“A short-term budgetary link should be established between … CPI and total operational expenditures by agencies.” Efficiency Project, 2016 (November 2019) The Policy Foundation’s Efficiency Project (2015-16) examined multiple variables at state agencies including a Consumer Price Index analysis.1 Spending at nine agencies exceeded CPI from 2009 to 2015.2 Handful of State Agencies Drive Spending […]

“Define and implement a system of performance-based pay for all state employees.” Policy Foundation, 1998 recommendation   “Performance Pay.  Some state agencies are using this strategy to advance efficiencies.  The practice should be applied to other agencies.” Policy Foundation Efficiency Project, 2016 recommendation   (October 2019) The number of state executive branch employees has declined by 1,589 since Arkansas […]