OPINION: Bold budget initiative in 'Rainy Day Fund' allows quick action

Leadership from the Governor's mansion this past week provided Arkansans with a sense of comfort seldom seen in modern legislative times.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson and his cabinet of focused executives have possibly executed a game plan for the covid-19 epidemic which will not only save lives but save Arkansas' budget in these uncertain times.

That's pretty high talk for an extraordinary session of the Arkansas General Assembly that took place down in Little Rock last week.

But it is perhaps time to state the obvious -- Gov. Asa Hutchinson and his executive team and his "brain trust" of savvy members of the Arkansas State Senate and the House of Representatives -- may have finally come into their own.

And they are certainly deserving of our praise and admiration for implementing such policies.

Now, this is not a steel-plated template for the future budget actions, but Hutchinson and his financial staff have prepared for the unforeseen global pandemic and its effects on Arkansas and the nation with a flexible plan for quick action and moving monies without the usual slow-motion of budget restraints.

Can this be safe and financially sound, you ask?

Well, it seems it will work in these uncertain times.

Remember, just three weeks ago, Arkansas and Gov. Hutchinson (and everyone else) was enjoying two-to-three percent unemployment.

Latest estimates are that unemployment rates in Arkansas are hovering just below 20 percent -- that is one in five Arkansans who were working in jobs that paid wages, payroll taxes and helped to grow business in our state are now out of work.

And most are eligible for unemployment administered by the state.

Plus, and always remember this: For almost every three Arkansans you see working in day labor jobs, i.e. construction, landscaping, farming jobs -- they are being paid in cash, off the books and not eligible for unemployment, pay little or no taxes (sales taxes for purchases are the only taxes these citizens pay).

And these segments of workers are also looking for work, public assistance, help from area food banks and other charities.

The work done by the General Assembly is all but completed, but some last-minute tweaking of the bills to allow this bold new rapid response by the Governor's office with some oversight by Senate and House leadership is still being ironed out.

The latest poll by Talk Business and Politics, a Little Rock publication and news source, shows that more than 61% of Arkansas voters approve of President Trump's handling of the covid-19 pandemic while almost 80% approve of Gov. Asa Hutchinson's performance, according to a survey by the Little Rock-based political consulting firm Impact Management Group.

So Gov. Hutchinson has 19 percent more support than the president.

Bravo for that statistic and the state's confidence in the elected chief executive of Arkansas!

Every day and often crisscrossing the state, Gov. Hutchinson has held meaningful and fact-filled press conferences.

Also in the Talk Business poll: A survey of 800 registered Arkansas voters conducted March 23 also found the vast majority agree covid-19 is a serious public health problem, and almost everyone agrees it's a serious economic threat. Almost 50% favor the state issuing a mandatory "shelter in place" order. Meanwhile, 34.7% said they or a member of their household had been laid off or experienced reduced work because of the virus.

Another telling statistic is that Arkansans really do believe this staying home and out of the public suggestion -- staying in place -- works.

Almost half of respondents, or 49.55%, agreed with the idea that "Arkansas should impose more drastic measures such as a statewide mandatory "shelter in place" order, which would permit people to only leave their homes for designated "essential" purposes." Another 32.4% disagreed with that statement, while 18% were unsure.

These uncertain times call for leadership to emerge and take control for those of us who are good, hard-earning taxpayers.

It is a roll most politicians hope they are never called upon to make those hard decisions.

But it is indeed comforting to see those who can and who will, do so.

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Maylon Rice is a former journalist who worked for several northwest Arkansas publications. He can be reached via email at [email protected]. Opinions expressed are those of the author.

Editorial on 04/01/2020