Newport-The Jackson County Quorum Court last night approved an ordinance
that will send the question of a one-half cent sales tax increase in Jackson
County to the voters. The funds from the increase if approved would be
used to bring the County Jail into compliance with state standards.
The County Judge is expected to set the special election date to coincide
with the General Election in November.
LITTLE ROCK
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A state
lawmaker says legislators will likely consider raising Arkansas' cigarette
tax by around 50 cents a pack to fund a proposed statewide trauma system.
Representative Gene Shelby, who proposed a failed cigarette tax increase
during the 2007 legislative session, says he has spoken with the governor's
office and other lawmakers about bringing up the issue next year. Paul
Halverson, director of the Arkansas Department of Health, also says he has
proposed raising the tax to Governor Beebe as a means to further cut the
state's smoking rates. Matt DeCample, a spokesman for the governor,
says Beebe remains open to the possibility of raising the tax. However,
Shelby's 2007 proposal to raise the 59-cent-per-pack tax never made it out
of a skeptical House committee, which said the tax would hurt the poor.
Still, lawmakers and other state government officials have asked for new
estimates on how much money would be raised by boosting the tax. Estimates
show a 50-cent increase would raise about $71.1 million, a 75-cent raise
would bring in $96.3 million and adding a dollar would bring in $114.7
million.FAYETTEVILLE, Ark.
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Mitchell Johnson, who as a boy helped
shoot and kill four students and a teacher during a schoolyard ambush, faces
a September 4th sentencing hearing at Fayetteville on a federal weapons
charge. Johnson, who turns 24 today, faces 10 years in prison and a $250,000
fine at his sentencing. Prosecutors cited a little-used federal law to
convict Johnson in January, saying he possessed a 9 mm handgun while also
either being a user of or addicted to a controlled substance. Johnson
is being held in the Benton County Jail without bond after being arrested on
state charges of using a stolen credit card. The hearing before U.S.
District Judge Jimm Larry Hendren is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. In 1998,
Johnson, then 13 years old, and Andrew Golden, then 11 years old, shot at
students and teachers at Jonesboro Westside Middle School after Golden
pulled a fire alarm. The boys killed English teacher Shannon Wright and four
students -- 11 year-old Natalie Brooks -- 12-year-old Paige Herring --
12-year-old Stephanie Johnson -- and 11-year-old Britthney Varner.
