LITTLE ROCK — State Sen. Shane Broadway filed Wednesday for the Democratic nomination for lieutenant governor and said it would be irresponsible for him to pledge to oppose “all efforts to increase taxes,” as Republican lieutenant governor candidate Mark Darr has done.
Darr replied it was irresponsible for Broadway to vote last week for a projected state budget increase of about 4 percent in the next fiscal year amid a declining economy and slipping tax revenue collections.
Also Wednesday, Hot Springs businessman Glenn Gallas filed to run for the Republican nomination in the 4th Congressional District, state Sen. Joyce Elliott of Little Rock filed for the Democratic nomination in the 2nd Congressional District, and Princella Smith of Wynne filed for the Republican nomination in the 1st Congressional District.
Secretary of State Charlie Daniels, a Democrat from Bryant, filed for state auditor; Pulaski County Clerk Pat O’Brien, a Democrat from Jacksonville, filed for secretary of state; and Rep. Monty Davenport, a Democrat from Yellville, filed for land commissioner.
The filing period for state and federal offices began Monday and runs through noon this coming Monday.
So far, 243 candidates have filed, according to the secretary of state’s office.
Broadway of Bryant has served in the Legislature since 1997. He drew the largest crowd among those filing for office Wednesday - about 100 people in the Capitol rotunda as he announced his candidacy just before he filed.
He told his supporters that as lieutenant governor he would continue to work to improve the state’s education system, create jobs and cut taxes.
Darr, who filed on Monday, is from Rogers. He recently said he’s signed the Americans for Tax Reform’s “taxpayer protection pledge,” and, thus, is “firmly committed” to “oppose all efforts to increase taxes.”
“It seems in today’s society, politicians want to tax first and ask questions later,” said Darr, an insurance agent who hasn’t previously run for elected office.
The lieutenant governor presides over the state Senate and serves as acting governor in the absence of the governor. Democratic incumbent Bill Halter of North Little Rock filed on Tuesday to challenge Democratic U.S. Sen. Blanche Lincoln of Little Rock.
Asked whether he would sign a pledge such as the one Darr signed, Broadway said he doesn’t sign pledges.
“I think it is irresponsible because you never know what circumstances are going to rise,” he said. “I am always going to fight to keep taxes as being the last resort, always have.
“If we do nothing else in state government, we have to provide an adequate education and if the funds aren’t there we have to find a way to provide them. I don’t want to raise taxes as much as anyone else. The responsible way, I believe, is that you evaluate every issue that comes before you and you make a decision based on the merits,” Broadway said.
He said that in saying it would be irresponsible for him sign such a pledge he was not suggesting it was irresponsible for Darr to do so.
Afterward, Darr criticized Broadway for voting last year for Gov. Mike Beebe’s proposed tobacco-tax increases, projected to raise more than $70 million a year, to help fund an array of health-related programs, including the creation of a statewide trauma-care system.
Darr also found fault with Broadway’s vote for the fiscal 2011 state budget of $4.48 billion.
Darr said he supports “the concept” of a proposed constitutional amendment that, if adopted, is aimed at repealing all state taxes levied by the General Assembly and requiring a single sales tax rate. He said he would like to know all the details before endorsing the proposal.
As for his vote for tobacco-tax increases, Broadway said they are aimed at helping programs to save thousands of lives, provide access to health care for the uninsured and take care of other health needs.
“Was it irresponsible to vote to reduce the sales tax on food?” asked Broadway, who voted to do that. He also noted his votes to cut the sales tax on manufacturers and income taxes and capital gains taxes.
He said a flat sales-tax rate, as contemplated under the proposed constitutional amendment, would be a bad idea for small businesses and “totally devastate” businesses along the state’s borders because consumers would turn to shops in other states to flee a sales-tax rate that could exceed 20 percent.
Broadway said the projected state budget enacted by the Legislature for the next fiscal year essentially restores budget cuts made in this fiscal year and hopefully keeps inmates in prison and provides services to the state’s vulnerable citizens.
The Taxpayer Protection Pledge may be viewed at www.atr.org/taxpayerprotection-pledge-a2882.
Last week, a legislative committee rejected a proposal to reduce the lieutenant governor’s office from four employees to one in the next fiscal year to save more than $200,000. Broadway said he wouldn’t rule out cutting positions in the office. Darr said he would eliminate at least one employee.
Gallas, who owns a plumbing, electrical and lighting company, became the first Republican to file for the 4th Congressional District, which is represented by Prescott Democrat Mike Ross.
Gallas also is chairman of the Garland County Tea Party and chairman of the Garland County Republican Party.
He wants to work to bring jobs to the district and change the nation’s healthcare system to allow the free market to operate properly, he said.
“My idea is to fix and repair what we have and do it in stages,” Gallas said. “We don’t need a big trillion-dollar program.”
Elliott filed after the Arkansas AFL-CIO said its executive board has recommended that its convention next month endorse her bid for Congress.
“The board believes she will be a candidate that will listen to Arkansas working families and their needs as she has in the state House and state Senate,” said Alan Hughes, president of the Arkansas AFL-CIO.
He said he expects the federation’s convention next month will approve the executive committee’s recommendation. The Arkansas AFL-CIO represents unions with about 40,000 members, he said.
Elliott said she appreciates the support but isn’t supporting any particular proposal to make it easier to organize unions.
Smith is the second Republican to file for the 1st Congressional District seat held by outgoing Gillett Democrat Marion Berry. Rick Crawford of Jonesboro was the first.
No Republican has held that seat since Reconstruction.
Among other things, Smith is a former press secretary for U.S. Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao, a Republican from Louisiana who worked for former U.S. House Speaker Newt Gingrich at his conservative American Solutions political advisory group.
Arkansas, Pages 9 on 03/04/2010