AR has 1.6 Billion dollar surplus. @AsaHutchinson has a plan to raise teacher’s pay. We have some of lowest pay of any state in the region. Petty politics should not prevent the legislature from doing it – now.
— Jim Hendren (@JimHendren1) July 9, 2022
A rear guard action — meaning by minority Democrats and the occasional rational thinker — is underway to deter Governor Hutchinson and the legislature from focusing a special session entirely on income tax cuts for the rich while doing nothing for public services, particularly a pay raise for school teachers.
One rational person, as Twitter shows, is the governor’s nephew, former Republican Sen. Jim Hendren, now an independent.
Democratic Sen. Joyce Elliott, a former teacher, tosses some facts into the mix.
According to Dept of Ed Secretary,Johnny Key, going into 2022-23 schl year, base salaries in OK,MO,TN and MS are all higher than Arkansas, and Mississippi just increased its base salary to $41,500 along with an approximately $5,000 salary increase for every teacher. #arpx #arleg
— Joyce Elliott (@xjelliott) July 8, 2022
The progressive group, ForARPeople, in encouraging a petition campaign on behalf of teachers, highlights the rich part-time pay of legislators (enhanced for most by $10,000-$15,000 in tax-free per diem bonuses for turning up at committee meetings — or not turning up if you are entitled prigs like Alan Clark.)
Before you head into your weekend, take 5 min to sign our #payARteachers petition + email @ARGOP #arleg members, asking them to support salary increases for public school employees. Retweet + share. This is people power. #arpx
link to petition: 👇👇👇https://t.co/91Mib4HuS5 pic.twitter.com/53H63bpzV9
— For AR People (@ForARPeople1) July 8, 2022
Again, the simple rundown on Arkansas legislative priorities, based on the reported income tax cut agreement worked out between the governor and legislature:
State surplus this year, plus accrued catastrophic reserve:
$3 billion
Cost of cutting the top income tax rate from 5.5 to 4.9 percent retroactive to Jan. 1:
$449 million this year. With tens of millions more in coming years.
Percentage going to the top 15 percent of taxpayers:
91 percent
Percentage going to the top 5 percent of taxpayers
68 percent
Percentage going to people making between $40,000 and $80,000
9 percent
Percentage going to 771,000 taxpayers (and probably a lot more based on last year’s figures) who make less than $40,000,
ZERO
Median household income in Arkansas
$49,000
Pay raises proposed for Arkansas teachers
ZERO
Increased spending proposed for food, health, housing, daycare and other needs of low-income families and new mothers, a number to increase with legal abortion now banned
ZERO
Elections matter.
