Teachers & Health Insurance

Ok...I'll discuss at least one thing the legislature may be doing right. HB 1559 sponsored by Rep. Denny Sumpter (D-West Memphis) would contribute up to $35 million to help shore up the teachers' health insurance pool.

Right now, Arkansas teachers have horrible health insurance rates in my opinion. The current rate for a family of 4 ranges from $611.00 to 651.50 per month for coverage by one of the 3 HMO plans available. I find it really hard to imagine a teacher making less than $30,000 per year can afford to pay over $300 per month for health insurance. I think part of the problem is that the school districts are required only to contribute $131.00 per month towards the health insurance premiums (where state employees receive a much larger contribute to their rates based on their coverage: single, married, entire family, etc). (By the way, Department of Finance Administration's Employee benefits division handles the insurance for both state employees and school teachers.)

According to Rep. Sumpter, many younger teachers chose not to carry the insurance and purchase private insurance which can be much cheaper. According to an article in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, the Kaiser Family Foundation states that a family of four pays an average of $233 a month for private insurance. By lowering the rates, Rep. Sumpter hopes to attract more younger teachers back into the plan to spread the risk and hopefully lower costs

The most serious flaw I see with this bill is that this is an unfunded mandate. Without an additional appropriations bill to provide the $35 million, the funds will come out of the Department of Education's budget if the bill is signed into law.

Arkansas and Gambling

Once again the legislature doesn't have the votes (or the nads) to raise the general sales tax (done last year) or the income tax rates to raise revenue so now they start their assault on the taxpayers via "fees." The have lots of needs: school funding, more prisons, highways, higher education, etc. but not enough money to pay for all of it.

I think its time the legislature (and the people of Arkansas) seriously consider expanding gambling to allow casino gambling and a lottery. We are currently surrounded on all sides by other forms of gambling: casino: Missouri, Mississippi, Louisiana (and come to Oklahoma); horse racing/dog racing: Louisiana, Texas and Oklahoma and Lottery: Missouri, Tennessee and Louisiana.

Face it folks, people are going to gamble are are willing to travel to do it.

Why can't we allow it here to benefit our state via tax revenues?

Mississippi has been able to upgrade their teacher's salaries to where their average salary is nearly $40,000/year along with making all of their US highways at least 4 lanes.

Every time this topic comes up, Larry Page and the Arkansas Faith & Ethics council comes out to decry gambling and lotteries saying they are unfair to the poor. Well Mr. Page, I am sorry but a lottery is nothing more than a voluntary TAX and nobody is forcing those people to buy lottery tickets or play video poker!!!

If you and your group are so concerned about the poor then why are you not also going after the businesses that do prey on the poor like rent-to-own furniture retailers and check cashers? There is a reason why there is no Car-Mart or Rent-A-Center located next to a gated subdivision filled with $300,000 homes!!

Why can't you go after the businesses that charge somebody $1800 for a washer and drier that would only cost them $500 at Sears if they paid the cash up? Why don't you go after the check cashers that are charging an effective interest rate of 300 % per year?

If you and your members are so concerned about helping the poor, why don't to go help at a Habitat for Humanity house instead of grandstanding in front of the press. The only time I hear about your organization is when you come out of the woodwork to decry gambling or alcohol.

Why don't you do something to make the here and now better, not just to decry how bad things will get is there are casinos or fewer liquor laws.....

Stupid Bills #1

Monday was the deadline for filing new bills so a slew of bills were filed since they just couldn't get around to it during the first part of the session.

They are starting to slip in bills charging all of the little fees and surcharges because they there isn't enough support to raise the sales tax or income tax like the did last year (to the tune of $600 million).

Rep. Phillip Jackson (R-Berryville) filed HB 2838 which the eye of the Democrat Gazette in today's edition. The bill will require a 5 cent tax for buying gas with a credit/debit card at the pump. The money is supposed to be used for the proposed highway bill.

One problem is that this probably violates the contract that the credit cards have with businesses that require them to charge the same for a credit card as they would for cash.

This bill really ticks me off because I like the convenience of using a credit card at the pump (and should not have to pay for that) so I don't have to go inside the smoky, dirty store to begin with...

(By the way if you want to view any bill or its status here is the link: http://www.arkleg.state.ar.us)

Let's Get Started

Ok...my first post here on the 'ol blog. My purpose here is to comment on mostly Arkansas politics and living in Arkansas in general.

The General Assembly is currently in session and as usual, the spend the first 3/4 of their 60 day session deciding on what they want for lunch and then "oh sh**! We haven't passed the new budget." So anyway, at least while the legislature is in session, I am going to comment on various bills that are moving through with my views on them.

After that, I will just comment on live in general, living in Arkansas, national politics although there are many blogs for national politics as well so I am guessing my posts will be brief.

I would appreciate any comments or feedback as I start this venture......see ya