Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Roebuck announces plans to seek second term in office

State Rep. Tommy Roebuck was in Prescott recently to announce his plans to seek reelection as representative from District 36.

Roebuck, running as a Democrat, completed his first year in office after being elected in the 2000 General Election.

He sponsored or co-sponsored bills to repeal state codes pertaining to salaries paid by hospitals and medical corporations; to create an office of oral health within the Arkansas Department of Health; to ensure the proper business corporation act is being followed; to allow name registration of foreign limited liability companies; and to repeal the Arkansas Homebuilders Registration Act.

However, because of redistricting done in 2001, Roebuck's district won't include the southern part of Nevada County as it originally did.

The change, though, did put the entire city of Prescott in his district.

He said the 2003 session will be a tough one because of a shortfall of $142 million this time and a projected shortfall of $161 million next term.

Education, he said, will be a major component of the upcoming General Assembly.

At this time, Roebuck said, three things have come together. The first was the Blue Ribbon Commission's report on education, followed by Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee's "Next Step" program and an appeal being filed in the Lake View lawsuit.

Currently, the Lake View suit is in the hands of the Arkansas Supreme Court. Depending on the court's ruling, the state could be required to come up with between $450-950 million, with some accounts having the settlement possibly costing Arkansas $1.2 billion.

"I don't know where this money will come from," Roebuck said. "Our foundation is based on education, and we lost the money promised to teachers (for their pay raise)."

Economic development will be another major agenda item for the legislature when it convened in 2003.

Roebuck asked Jon Chadwell, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office to prepare an agenda for the needs Nevada County has in this area.

"I don't have an opponent at this time," he said. "I enjoyed the last session, it was a real learning experience."

Roebuck said much is based on seniority in the House, and term limits are making a difference.

"I'll do all I can to be reelected," he said, "but I can't represent you unless you tell me what you need me to do."

Roebuck talked about working on the Waterloo-Bodcaw Rural Water Project, helping it get money.

Money, he said, will be tight in the next session, with the joint budget committee meeting on Oct. 1.

"I hope we can redirect some of the tobacco settlement money," he said. "We're spending $60 to $70 million on buildings, and the 448 jobs created will just be another bureaucracy. Some of those jobs pay $90,000 to $175,000 a year. They say grants will be used to pay salaries.

"We had a $58 million shortfall last year," he continued. "The governor cut programs."

One of those programs was the ABC pre-school program, which was put back in the budget after a sales tax on beer was passed.

"I hope we can put some money back in programs we need now. Our seniors are hurting."

Roebuck said a program at the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff (UAPB) is nothing but a waste of money, "but it's politics."

Medicaid in the state gets $3 for every $1 it spends. "We need to come up with $12.8 million or we'll lose $38 million."

The tobacco settlement suit will bring in $58-60 million annually, he said, with the first $100 million put in a trust fund with the principle being untouchable.

The interest, Roebuck said, can be used to help fund other projects and programs.

"We need input from the people on what to do."