Quorum Court says no to tax resolution

By Greg Rayburn

The Daily Citizen

While the Association of Arkansas Counties might want to support an overhaul in the state's taxing system while state lawmakers prepare for a possible massive tax increase to finance education reform, nearly every member of the White County Quorum Court Tuesday night rejected such a notion.

By a 10-2 margin, the Quorum Court rejected a proposed resolution to urge the Arkansas General Assembly to expand the products and services the state has the right to tax under current law.

"This resolution doesn't even have a sponsor listed," said Justice of the Peace Layne "Boss" Vaughn, who voiced strong opposition to the proposed resolution, said.

White County Judge Bob Parish said JP Bud Osborn was the sponsor of the resolution but his name had not been placed on the resolution in time for Tuesday's meeting.

Parish said State Sen. John Paul Capps has introduced legislation to reform the state sales tax system which would broaden the types of products and services taxable under Arkansas law.

Parish said supporters of the change want to see taxpayers other than sales taxpayers pay for the overhaul of Arkansas' education system.

While the vote to oppose the resolution was almost unanimous, the vote to suspend Quorum rules to allow an immediate vote passed by a 9-3 margin. In order for the Arkansas General Assembly to see the resolution if it would have passed, it would have had to have been passed at Tuesday's meeting because the Quorum Court meets just once per month.

The special session of the State Legislature is expected to be adjourned by the time the next Quorum Court meets in January.

In the proposed resolution, supporters would have endorsed broadening the tax to "encompass many areas that have been excluded with the exception of agricultural and manufacturing."

"Our tax system would be more progressive if its base was broadened," the resolution read. "The Supreme Court decision in the Lake View case will require that Arkansas legislators provide unprecedented increases in state spending to adequately fund education."

The proposed resolution was also supported by the Arkansas Municipal League, Parish said.

Parish said he supports the idea of reforming Arkansas' tax system so it does not rely so heavily on the current sales tax.

"I can understand why a lot of them opposed it," Parish said. "You have a lot of businessmen here."

Visit White County