Little Rock, Arkansas – Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders gave the joint budget committee of the Arkansas legislative council her balanced budget proposals on Thursday.
The governor demanded that the state budget be increased by $182.5 million, or almost 3%, for the fiscal year that starts on July 1. Prior to the start of the following year’s legislative session on January 13, Governor Sanders gave lawmakers a full overview of the budget plan.
“I look forward to working with our legislature to increase spending by only 2.89%,” Sanders stated. “The added funding is directed toward areas we have all agreed are our priorities: education, maternal health, public safety and government efficiency.”
In order to provide more Arkansans with the opportunity to use the entire amount of the state’s Education Freedom Accounts (EFA), the governor has proposed an increase in funding of $90 million.
“This balance balanced budget proposes $90 million in additional funding for the EFA program, [from] $90 million to $187 million to ensure all Arkansas families have access to the full EFA amount,” Sanders stated.
During Thursday’s meeting, Republican State Representative Jim Wooten asked the governor about his worries, including how this might affect public schools.
“Can you explain to me how we take over $400 million out of the state funding and it not effect court ordered adequacy and education,” Representative Wooten challenged the governor.
Others, like Jim Hudson, the secretary of finance and administration, spoke out against the governor’s plan. Hudson suggested that funding for public schools and vouchers comes from separate sources.
On Thursday, lawmakers talked a lot about education, but the governor’s agenda also addressed maternal health. Her approach, she claimed, will introduce initiatives that “actually matter to the people.”
“This budget contains $100 million set aside for Medicaid sustainability and $13 million for Medicaid to support our maternal health programs. Gov. Sanders remarked, “I know we all want to find real solutions, not headline-grabbing programs that don’t actually solve the problem.”
Finally, the state’s new employee compensation plan was taken into consideration in the governor’s plan.
The governor put forth a $3 million plan earlier this month to pay thousands of state workers, with a particular emphasis on critical positions like social workers, state troopers, nurses, and correctional officers.
“The vast majority of this plan’s $102 million commitment comes from existing funding streams, but in this budget, we are also proposing $3.15 million in new funding for pay raises for our state’s dedicated frontline workers,” Sanders stated.
According to the proposed budget, the state will have a surplus of around $300 million by the end of the upcoming fiscal year. According to finance officials, Arkansas should have a $280 million surplus by the end of the current fiscal year.
