Featured Articles
When Will The Recession End?
(June 2009)
U.S. payroll employment or industrial production growth for one quarter will suggest the recession is ending.
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Physician: Prevention, Team Approach Key To Medical Care Access In Rural Arkansas
(June 2009)
Dr. Thomas A. Bruce, former dean of the College of Medicine at the Univ. of Arkansas told a
Policy Foundation forum today that prevention and "a team approach" are key to improving medical care access in
rural Arkansas.
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Mission Statement
The Arkansas Policy Foundation is a nonpartisan, non-profit organization that analyzes the
impact of public policy on Arkansas and makes recommendations.
The Foundation emphasizes the importance of tax policy and education reform.
Principles of tax policy: Arkansas would benefit from comprehensive, pro-growth reform; Arkansans are not
under-taxed; taxes and rates do matter to entrepreneurs; dynamic scoring of tax changes and effects provides
benefits.
Education reform: The Foundation seeks intellectual honesty and complete openness in reporting the lack of academic
progress in Arkansas' school system.
The Foundation encourages citizenship.
Recent Articles
People Have To Eat
Market-based economists have opposed the taxation of food for more than 200 years. The Policy Foundation has
published 10 research memos since 2002 on repeal of the
Arkansas grocery tax.
Failing District In Foundation Survey Among Four Arkansas Districts That Face Restructuring
(May 2009)
The Turrell School District was named a failing district in a 2008 Policy Foundation survey of Arkansas school
districts, and faces restructuring next year, according to education officials.
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Ex-St. Louis Fed Chief Criticizes Bank Bailouts, Sees Long-Term Inflation
(May 2009)
Ex-St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank President William Poole criticized federal bank bailouts and forecast long-term
inflation during three April 16 forums in Conway co-sponsored by Hendrix College and the Policy Foundation.
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Arkansas Government Misses Rolling Deflation
(March 2009)
The Consumer Price Index, an inflation measure, was zero in 2008, the lowest reading since 1955 (U.S. Bureau of
Labor Statistics, Federal Reserve Bank of Minneapolis). Declining asset classes have left unprepared Americans
exposed to the economic phenomenon of deflation. "Thinking about deflation," the Policy Foundation warned in a
2001 Arkansas Democrat-Gazette column, "could lead many to carefully examine their own balance sheets
and assumptions about credit and the economy."
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Policy Foundation To Participate In March 26 Federal Reserve Forum On Deficits & Debt
(March 2009)
The Federal Reserve Bank of St. Louis is sponsoring a Little Rock forum Thursday, March 26 on the topic,
"Deficits, Debt and Looming Disaster". The event will take place at the Peabody Hotel from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Representatives of non-profit groups including AARP and the Policy Foundation will participate in the forum.
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State Retirement System Losses Prompt Merger Call
(March 2009)
Investment losses by the Arkansas State Police Retirement System have led a state Senator to suggest merging the
system, a proposal first made by the Murphy Commission, a Policy Foundation project in 1998.
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Arkansas Governors and the Murphy Commission
(February 2009)
The Murphy Commission, a Policy Foundation project, spent three years (1996-98) reviewing Arkansas state government.
More than 100 citizen volunteers served with the Commission, which issued a series of policy recommendations.
Arkansas governors, past and present, also played roles in the Commission's attempt to reform state government.
Executive Order Proclamation
Republican Gov. Mike Huckabee's Inaugural Comments Announcing the Murphy Commission (July 16, 1996)
Democratic State Sen. Mike Beebe's Performance-Based Budgeting Pilot Program (1999). Mr. Beebe is the current
Arkansas governor.
Blue Print For Hard Times
(January 2009)
The economy has entered the second year of a recession that started in December 2007. Families, individuals and
private enterprises across Arkansas are making tough choices in hard economic times by restructuring to make ends
meet. One exception is state government, which continues to raise taxes and spending levels, expand programs and
restrict per capita income, ranked second or third worst in the U.S. for most of the postwar era.
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Road Map For Arkansas Prosperity
(December 2008)
Public policies enacted in the last 15 years have not altered one sobering fact: Arkansas has ranked second or third
worst in the nation in per capita personal income for nearly the entire postwar era (U.S. Bureau of Economic Analysis).
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Fiscal Recommendations
Phase-Out The State Sales Tax On Groceries
Use Dynamic Analysis in Revenue Estimation
No Income Tax Increase. Reduce Top Rate to Highest Border State Rate
Performance-Based Budgeting and Activities-Based Costing
Use Performance Reviews to Identify Cost Savings
Education Reform Recommendations
Defend Charter Schools
Progress Toward Transparency
Letter Grades For K-12 Districts
Administrative Restructuring
Merge All Existing Co-ops
Medical Care Recommendations
Emphasis on Prevention
Identifying the Uninsured
Medical Care in Rural Arkansas
Review State-Mandated Health Benefits
Fiscal Discipline and the Beebe Grocery Tax Cut Proposal
(November 2008)
Freshman Democratic Gov. Mike Beebe is gradually accomplishing a goal that evaded his predecessors: a broad tax cut
achieved with modest fiscal discipline.
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Arkansas Income Tax Rates Higher Than Border States
(October 2008)
Arkansas has the highest income tax rate among the states that border it, according to 2008 data compiled by the
Federation of Tax Administrators. The group has published a chart that shows Arkansas has a top rate of 7 percent.
The chart can be viewed at:
http://www.taxadmin.org/fta/rate/ind_inc.html
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Arkansas School District College Remediation Rates (2007)
(October 2008)
Thirteen of the 14 Arkansas K-12 public school districts that earned a failing (F) grade in a recent Policy Foundation
survey have college remediation rates (2007) greater than 70 percent, according to the National Office for Research,
Measurement and Evaluation Systems (NORMES). The state rate is 48.1 percent.
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Arkansas School District Rankings (2007)
(September 2008)
Arkansas school districts receiving A, B, C, D and F grades in the Policy Foundation's third annual School District Rankings
are identified in the following nine-page chart.
State of Remediation
(September 2008)
Two Arkansas school districts awarded failing (F) grades for three consecutive years in Policy Foundation reports have college
remediation rates greater than 70 percent, public records show.
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Arkansas 2006-2007 School District Rankings
(August 2008)
Eighteen K-12 public school districts in Arkansas earned the top grade (A or A-minus) in the Policy Foundation’s third annual
School District Rankings study. Fourteen districts received a failing grade of F in the report, which relies on the Iowa
Tests of Basic Skills (ITBS) to issue a letter grade to every Arkansas district.
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Teacher Merit Pay Advances In Two Arkansas School Districts
(July 2008)
Teachers in two Arkansas school districts—Cross County and Lincoln—will participate in merit pay programs in the
upcoming 2008-09 school year. The programs will be based in part on student performance, including grades and test scores on a
standardized state test.
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The Odds On State Lotteries
(July 2008)
The odds of winning games of chance in three government lotteries in the region (Louisiana, Missouri and Tennessee) vary
widely.
Instant games appear to provide the lowest odds. Online games of chance and draw-style games offer higher odds.
(Sources)
Louisiana:
http://www.louisianalottery.com/index.cfm?navID=93&md=game&tmp=detail_drawing&gameID=5
Missouri: http://www.molottery.com
Tennessee: http://www.tnlottery.com/howtoplay
NEA Membership Declined In Arkansas In 2007
(June 2008)
The National Education Association (NEA), the largest government-sector labor union in the United States, lost members in
Arkansas in 2007, records show.
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Arkansas Government's Holy Grail—The Quest for 100% Income Parity
(June 2008)
A long-stated goal of Arkansas state government officials is achieving 100 percent parity with the U.S. average in terms of
per capita personal income (Bureau of Economic Analysis).
Government economic development officials have led this quest, which at times as appeared similar to the search for the Holy
Grail. That is to say, elusive.
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The Biggest Middle Class Tax Cut In Arkansas History
(May 2008)
Individual income tax brackets, in response to inflation should be retroactively indexed to the Consumer Price Index as part
of a multi-year plan that would reduce the tax burden on Arkansas's middle class, and provide further reductions in the state
grocery tax.
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AETN Public TV Forum
(April 2008)
Economists from the St. Louis Federal Reserve Bank, the Univ. of Arkansas and the Policy Foundation participated in a recent
forum on the Arkansas economy that aired statewide on public television (AETN). The monthly show, ‘Unconventional Wisdom,’ is
hosted by Stephens News Bureau columnist David Sanders, and can be viewed at:
http://www.aetn.org/production/podcast/unconventional_media/march_28,_2008
Read More
Arkansas Employment Growth Trails U.S. For Fourth Consecutive Year
(April 2008)
Arkansas employment growth trailed the U.S. in 2007, the fourth consecutive year that job creation in
the Natural State failed to equal or exceed the national average, federal economic data show.
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Dynamic Analysis & the Severance Tax Hike
(March 24, 2008)
National gas, like other commodities, increases and decreases in price in response to market forces. Commodity price movements
are cyclical. The state estimate of projected revenues from a proposed 5 percent severance rate is based on an $8 natural gas
price. Policymakers should understand a lower price would effect revenues.
Read More |
View PDF
Record Number of Charter Schools to Operate in Arkansas in 2008-2009 School Year
(February 2008)
Twenty-six charter schools, a record number, are scheduled to operate in Arkansas in the 2008-2009 school year.
Read More |
View PDF
Education Reform Forum In Conway On Feb. 20
(January 2008)
Education reform will be the topic of a Policy Foundation forum Feb. 20 at the Univ. of Central Arkansas in Conway. The forum,
which will feature UCA President Lu Hardin and academics Roy Whitehead, Jr., and Walter Block1, will occur from 1 to 2:30
p.m. in the the ballroom of the UCA Student Center.
We are trying to organize support for our Feb. 20 event.
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Searching for Archived Policy Research? Visit
www.reformarkansas.org.
Response To Recession: Arkansas Entrepreneurs

Many of Arkansas' leading companies were founded by entrepreneurs in previous recessions.
Recent Policy Foundation Media Highlights
"Silver Lining Dept."
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
May 21, 2009
Link:
http://www.nwanews.com/adg/Editorial/260128/
"Schools Thinking Outside The Box"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
May 17, 2009
"Gravy Train"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
May 14, 2009
"Economist: Bailouts won't help struggling economy"
Associated Press
April 16, 2009
KATV-7 Little Rock
KTHV-11 Little Rock
KLRT-16 Little Rock
"Ex-Fed official Poole plans talk at Hendrix"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
April 9, 2009
"Despite Layoffs & Recession, Wal-Mart Adds Jobs"
Talk Business
March 5, 2009
"Worst Recession Since ...?"
Chronicles
February 2009
"Sixth Sense"
Talk Business Quarterly
Q1 2009
"A Home Is for Living, Not for Flipping"
Chronicles
January 2009
"Recession A Year Old, Bureau Says. Economists Confirm Its 2007 Start"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
December 2, 2008
"McCrory Schools Pass With Flying Colors In Study"
Three Rivers Edition, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
November 6, 2008
"Arkansas Economist Sees Prolonged Recession"
Russellville Courier
October 5, 2008
"H-WH's Deputy Super Calls 'F' List Slap In Face"
Daily World (Helena)
October 1, 2008
"Local Districts Rate C-plus, D; Those Surrounding Fail"
Ashley News-Observer (Crossett)
October 1, 2008
"FCSD Receives Low Academic Mark"
Times-Herald (Forrest City)
September 29, 2008
"18 State School Districts Get A's"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
Benton County Daily Record
September 28, 2008
"Bulk Of Income Tax Paid By 20%"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
Benton County Daily Record
Herald Leader (Siloam Springs)
"Study Finds Most Area Schools 'Above Average'"
Sentinel-Record (Hot Springs), September 10, 2008
"Weak Employment & Income Growth In Arkansas"
KARN-AM 920, Little Rock, September 9, 2008
"Statewide Study: Mountain Home, Norfolk Schools
Rank In Top Tier," Baxter Bulletin, August 30, 2008
"Schools Make Top Grade"
The News (Salem), August 28, 2008
"Foundation Gives Fayetteville A-Minus"
Northwest Arkansas Times, August 26, 2008
"Greenwood Schools Rate An A From Agency"
Southwest Times Record, August 24, 2008
"Arkansas Policy Foundation To Host Talk Honoring Friedman"
Log Cabin Democrat, July 31, 2008
"Circular Economic Knowledge Trumps Straight Lies"
Southwest Times Record, May 25, 2008
"Economist Claims Nation In Recession"
Fayetteville Morning News
May 17, 2008
"State's Jobless Rate Drops For 3rd Month To 4.7%"
Benton County Daily Record, May 17, 2008
"Race Is On For Customers' Rebate Cash"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
Benton County Daily Record, April 30, 2008
"Arkansas Dodges Subprime Bullet: Key Is Ownership Free And Clear"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Northwest Arkansas Times
Benton County Daily Record, April 27, 2008
"Fayetteville Shale Activity Pushes Arkansas To National Best"
Talk Business, April 18, 2008
"Both Encouraged And Discouraged By Arkansas' Economy"
Stephens Media Group, David Sanders column, April 2, 2008
"Unconventional Wisdom"
AETN, Arkansas Public Television, March 28, 2008
"Residents' Income Grows But Still Ranks 48th Nationally"
Fayetteville Morning News, March 27, 2008
"Beebe Says 2010 Bond Program Possible For Interstate Work"
Log Cabin Democrat, March 27, 2008
"State Economy Not All Bad"
Southwest Times Record, March 23, 2008
"UCA panelists praise new education reforms"
Arkansas Democrat-Gazette, February 21, 2008
"Education Reform Debate Held At UCA"
Log Cabin Democrat, February 21, 2008
"UCA Public Education Forum"
KARK-TV 4, Little Rock NBC affiliate, February 20, 2008
"The Biggest Tax Cut In Arkansas History"
National Review Online, November 16, 2007
Read Article Online
"Arkansas Policy Foundation Leaves Its Mark On Decade"
Arkansas News Bureau
August 3, 2005
Read Article Online
Policy Accomplishments
Following is a list of policy accomplishments recorded by the Arkansas Policy Foundation in its 15-year history as a market-based think tank:
Click Here.
Arkansas Policy Blog
Click here to view the Arkansas Policy Blog.
Peer-Reviewed Research
The Arkansas Policy Foundation is an educational organization that regularly submits its research to scholarly
journals that use a peer review process. These research papers are widely used upon publication. Public officials
and members of the public may read, study and ask questions about the information in these research papers when
visiting the Foundation.
Journal Publications
'Regulation of financial derivatives in the U.S. code'
Derivatives Use, Trading and Regulation
(London, U.K.) Palgrave Macmillian Ltd.
February 2006
'Deflation & Economic Growth'
QJAE
(Piscataway, N.J.) Transaction Periodicals Consortium, Rutgers University
Summer 2006
Policy Foundation research on this topic cited by Arkansas Attorney General Mike Beebe
(Opinion No. 2005-291)
Non-Profit Resources
www.foundationcenter.org
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