On Tuesday, Arkansas Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders called for a special legislative session to discuss tax cuts and the budget for the agency that is in charge of hunting and fishing.
throughout the special session that is planned to begin the following Monday, the Republican governor declared in a post on X that she is advocating for a reduction of property taxes by $50 million and a reduction of income taxes by $500 million throughout the session.
“Democrats in Washington, DC are failing, but we are blazing a path to greater prosperity for our people,” Sanders said in some of his writings.
On January 1, Sanders suggested lowering the highest income tax rate in the state from 4.4% to 3.9%, and the highest corporate tax rate from 4.8% to 4.3%. Both of these reductions would take effect. The homestead tax credit was also proposed to be increased from $425 to $500 by the Republican governor, who demanded this change.
It is around one month after the legislative session for this year was adjourned without the approval of a budget for the state Game and Fish Commission that the notification finally comes. Unless lawmakers agree on a budget before the beginning of the fiscal year on July 1, the state’s hunting and fishing programs will be in a state of uncertainty as a result of this decision according to apnews.com
The appropriation of $175 million for the agency that employs 636 people did not receive the necessary 75 votes in the House. The majority of the opposition to the request was based on the fact that it increased the maximum pay that could be paid to the agency’s director. It was the first time in more than twenty years that lawmakers have adjourned a session without first approving the budget for an agency.
During his time in government, which began in January 2023, Sanders has been responsible for enacting two tax cuts on income. In light of the fact that those in charge of finances anticipate that the state will finish the current fiscal year with a surplus of $708 million, she is advocating for the most recent cuts.