House budget panel appoints Maloch leader
Posted on Saturday, November 8, 2008
Rep. Bruce Maloch will be the House chairman of the Joint Budget Committee for 2009 and 2010, the chamber’s budget committee members decided Friday.
They unanimously approved incoming House Speaker Robbie Wills’ motion to elect the Magnolia Democrat budget chairman and approved Maloch’s motion to appoint Rep. Kathy Webb, D-Little Rock, vice chairman.
Wills decided to be on the House Revenue and Taxation Committee and the Agriculture, Forestry and Economic Development, and Joint Budget committees.
In Friday’s House caucus, 35 newly elected members also drew for seniority, and the chamber’s 100 members selected committee assignments.
Maloch said Gov. Mike Beebe’s revenue forecast and balanced budget proposal for the 2010 and 2011 fiscal years, scheduled to be released Thursday, will be important in determining “how much money we have got [to take ] care of education and essential services first and then see what else we can do.
“ We would love to be able to give some tax relief if the revenue projections allow that,” he said.
“If we can, then we’ll debate what is the most important of tax relief, whether that is [a further reduction in the state’s 3 percent sales tax on groceries ] or something else,” Maloch said.
Last year, the Legislature enacted Maloch’s bill to create a rainy day fund but put no money in it.
Last week, Beebe said he wants some of the state’s surplus of more than $ 300 million reserved to be used, if needed, to temporarily fund essential services if the national economic downturn hits the state and revenue drops. He also reiterated his longstanding support for further reducing the state sales tax on groceries, which was cut from 6 percent to 3 percent in 2007.
Earlier Friday, Rep.-elect Duncan Baird, R-Lowell, drew the highest seniority for the freshman class, picking No. 66, and Rep.-elect Mary Lou Slinkard, R-Gravette, drew the lowest, No. 100.
“I drew No. 100 and my district is No. 100, and I was the first one to draw,” Slinkard said afterward. “Can you believe that ?”
House Democrats also reelected Rep. Steve Harrelson of Texarkana as the majority leader and elected Webb over Rep. Tracy Pennartz of Fort Smith as the majority whip. Harrelson said the vote was 51 for Webb and 19 for Pennartz.
Harrelson said Rep.-elect Richard Carroll, a Green Party member from North Little Rock, caucused with the Democrats.
“We’ve asked him if he wants to be a member of the Democratic Party, and he said that he felt obligated to the Green Party,” said Harrelson.
“I think his feelings may change because, of course; we’ll seek a Democratic candidate for House District 39 in two years if he is still a Green Party candidate, so we are going to talk him into changing parties,” Harrelson said.
Carroll said he wants to concentrate on working on legislation for next year’s session now rather than deciding whether to run as a Democrat or Green in 2010.
Carroll drew No. 90 for seniority.
Carroll decided to serve on the House Public Transportation Committee and the House Aging, Children and Youth, Legislative and Military Affairs Committee.
The House’s full seniority list is available at www. arkleg. state. ar. us / data / ARleg&comm. asp.
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