Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Budget Problems Loom Says Malone

Budget problems will give the Arkansas General Assembly plenty to worry about when it meets in 2001.

According to State Senator-elect Percy Malone, there are more requests for money than there are funds available.

Part of the reason for this is Gov. Mike Huckabee's edict to give all teachers in Arkansas a $1,500 across the board raise. This will cost the state around $75 million.

This amount comes off the top of an anticipated $140 million revenue growth.

Another expense related to schools will be an increase in the state's portion of funding because Pulaski County recently raised its millage.

Malone said under the funding formula the district with the highest millage (normally Pulaski County) is used a the base number for how much money other districts in the state get.

With the recent millage hike, he said, this could mean an additional $40 million to schools across the state.

The Arkansas Department of Corrections, Malone said, has asked for $100 million to build more prisons with. This is because of the increased inmate population coming from criminals being required to serve more of their sentences. However, the DoC will only receive $30 million of their request.

"We're keeping the budget as flat as possible," Malone said, "with no tax increases."

The idea, he said, is for the state to maintain the status quo until it's known exactly what the budget will be.

Currently, the state's proposed budget is $172 million, with nothing included for higher education, and most state agencies being frozen at their current budget, which was set in 1999.

"We'll have to keep a tight belt," he said, adding there will be requests from communities in Arkansas for water projects an economic development aid. "It will be a hard session."

Should the proposed amendment for the use of the tobacco settlement suit money fail, Malone said he wants to try and work on a prescription drug plan with these funds.

His plan is to expand coverage for those older than 6, along with expanding Medicare coverage and benefits to pregnant women, while also putting more money into the Meals on Wheels program.

One thing he plans on working on this session will be to get parity in prescription drug prices and make them more affordable.

Another issue Malone hopes to address is making computers available for every child in the seventh grade. This, he said, would help to bridge the digital divide.

He plans to work with computer manufacturers to see if they might be willing to donate computers to this program.

This is important, he said, because Arkansas students need to be up to level for the new economy. This, in turn, will allow them to get better paying, more secure jobs.

There is currently a program in the state, he said, to help instruct teachers on the use of computers, so they, then, can show their students what the machinery can do.

As he always has, Malone will be supporting economic development programs to bring new business and industry to the state.

"We'll try to operate as efficiently as we can," he said, "but we need to fins money for higher education, industrial and economic development.

"My intent is still the same," Malone continued. "I will look out for this part of the state, take care of water projects, fire departments and senior adults.

"I'd like to expand and put money into programs for home services so we can keep our seniors out of nursing homes."

Another goal of Malone's is to make sure nursing homes have the funds to be properly staffed.

But, he said, the major issue right now is the teacher shortage. In 10 years half of those teaching in classrooms today will be retired. "They deserve more money for what they do. Children are our biggest resource and business and industry want to know their education and training level.

"In the new economy," Malone continued, "we must invest more in people. We need to make it more attractive to be a teacher, get the best ones in class and looking at teaching as a career."

However, he said, teachers and schools must also be made more accountable to make sure students get the best education possible.