August 2018
LEGISLATIVE TASK FORCE RECOMMENDS INCOME TAX CUTS
"There is significant evidence that reductions in marginal state tax rates encourage state economic growth ...Rates on productive behavior should be reduced." “Reduce the state's income tax…repeal the state's capital gains tax.” Arkansas Policy Foundation, Murphy...
July 2018
OPENTHEBOOKS.COM: LEGISLATOR CHARGED WITH FAILING TO PAY INCOME TAXES OR FILE RETURNS RECEIVED $118,988 IN SALARY OVER THREE YEARS
"Most Arkansans pay their state taxes on time but others, including some officials, have contributed to an accounts receivable backlog that experts say totals nearly $300 million. Transparency tools allow citizens to learn if...
June 2018
PERFORMANCE-BASED PAY PLAN ADVANCES
"Define and implement a system of performance-based pay for all state employees." Policy Foundation research report,1 1998 "The most common piece of feedback received from interviews and survey respondents was that the current salary structure is...
June 2018
OPENTHEBOOKS.COM: LITTLE ROCK DISTRICT PAID 102 ADMINISTRATORS MORE THAN STATE LEADERS
"The (Education) department's performance measures are inadequate and must be strengthened." Policy Foundation, "Arkansas Efficiency Project, 2016 (June 2018) It pays to be a Little Rock School District employee more than a top state...
May 2018
OPENTHEBOOKS.COM: FAILING DISTRICT SPENT $8.3 MILLION ON SALARIES IN 2016
"The (Education) department's performance measures are inadequate and must be strengthened." Policy Foundation, "Arkansas Efficiency Project, 2016 (May 2018) The Dollarway School District, taken over by the state in 2015, spent $8,309,639 on...
May 2018
DFA REDUCES OUTSTANDING RECEIVABLES
"Compliant taxpayers are suffering from a lack of service, as a result of lagged collection and payment activities" by Arkansans not paying their taxes. PricewaterhouseCoopers LLC, Efficiency Project report, 2016 (May 2018) The state Department...
May 2018
AGENCIES AMEND MISSION STATEMENTS
"Mission Statements. Agency officials expressed support for efficiency as a concept, though few mission statements include the term. Each agency should include the word efficiency in their mission statement and post it online in an...
May 2018
AGENCIES ADOPT STRATEGIC PLANS
"Agency Strategic Plans. Only five state agencies post a strategic plan ... Each agency should have a strategic plan and post it online so it is accessible to citizens." Policy Foundation Efficiency Project, October 2016 (May...
April 2018
MODIFIED DISTRIBUTION Education Department: Twice as Many ‘A’ High Schools in Arkansas
"Eighteen Arkansas school districts earned A's or A-minuses, and 14 other systems received failing marks in the latest in a series of Arkansas Policy Foundation studies." Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, Sept. 28, 2008 (April 2018) A new...
April 2018
COUNTY BUDGET TRANSPARENCY
(April 2018) Only eight Arkansas counties post annual budgets online for citizens while others publish an annual appropriation notice in the paper of record, a legal requirement. Every county should post its budget in an...
