LITTLE ROCK — Jim Keet, the Republican candidate for governor, unveiled his “Pledge to Arkansas” on Wednesday, reiterating promises he has made on the campaign trail.
Keet, a Little Rock businessman, is challenging Gov. Mike Beebe of Searcy for the state’s highest office in the Nov. 2 election.
“These are things that I plan to implement, with the legislature’s help, immediately,” Keet said.
He also spoke about $103,990 in loans, including two $50,000 loans from a bank, his campaign took on in August.
The 10-point “Pledge to Arkansas” includes Keet’s views on job creation, changes to the tax system, fighting federal mandates, honoring veterans and a state government ethics overhaul.
“This is a summary of all the things that I have both introduced as I have traveled around the state and also are a reflection of what the people of Arkansas have been telling me,” Keet said.
Among other things, the pledge calls for tax changes to make the state more attractive to companies, which Keet said would spur job growth. He said companies haven’t come to Arkansas because of its tax and capital-gains rates.
Lost revenue from lowering taxes would be offset by other economic activity, he said. “Over time you actually grow state revenues because you have a more vibrant economy,” Keet said.
He could not provide specifics because he does not have access to all the needed information, he said.
Keet said he needs to identify actual changes to tax policies that would not negatively affect the state.
He said he would also work with agency heads to create a business-friendly environment and spur job growth.
As part of his tax plan,Keet said the state may have to weigh the benefit of removing the last of the grocery tax with changing the business tax structure because companies don’t decide to move to a state based on a food tax.
Keet also said he wants the Legislature to exempt combat pay and military retirement from state income taxes as a way of honoring veterans.
He renewed his call for the state to join other states in lawsuits against the federal health-care law and called fighting federal mandates a key component of the governor’s job.
“I'm going to fight any federal mandate, particularly those that are unconstitutional or have not yet been proved to be constitutional,” Keet said.
He said Arkansas has an obligation to not blithely accept federal programs.
He would have objected to the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act of 2009, which is projected to bring $3.1 billion to Arkansas, he said.
Keet could not name other existing federal mandates that he disagreed with accepting. “I’d have to examine ... I can’t answer that question specifically right now,” Keet said.
In March, Keet said he did not plan to fund his campaign, but later clarified that he did not plan to “self-fund” his effort.
“The loans that were made to the campaign were a reflection of just how committed I am to this race and how important I think the challenges are that we face,” Keet said. There may be a limit to how much debt he is willing to take on, he said, but “I don't want to disclose a part of my playbook to the governor.”
He said he doesn’t think he is self-financing his campaign and plans to tap contributors to help him retire any debts. “So I still don’t plan to specifically self-fund the campaign,” he said.
Beebe campaign spokesman Zac Wright said Keet has given more detail about the priorities in his “Pledge to Arkansas” in the past.
“There’s not a lot of substance ... Everything that’s there is kind of recaptured highlights of old stuff,” Wright said.
Keet’s plan to work with agency heads has similarities to Beebe’s Workforce Cabinet, a group of state agency staff members who work together on economic development plans, Wright said.
“I assume that means he’s applauding Gov. Beebe’s initiative,” Wright said.
Beebe continues to focus on eliminating the grocery tax, Wright said. “The governor’s priority remains with cutting taxes for working people,” he said.
Since Beebe was elected in 2006, the tax has been cut from 6 percent to 2 percent.
Arkansas, Pages 11 on 09/30/2010