A Democrat from Redfield said Tuesday that he plans to vie for state land commissioner in 2018.
Shaun Hubanks, a 36-year-old who works for Apex Communications, said he hoped to reduce interest and penalties to help Arkansans retain their land. He said he also wants to take care of land used under mineral leases.
"If I am elected I will give my heart to the people of Arkansas to make sure that people have a chance to relinquish back taxes, have minerals leased in the right spot, and make sure that the state agencies have the land that they need to be able to work properly," he said in a news release.
The land commissioner collects delinquent real estate taxes and grants mineral leases on state-owned lands. The job pays $85,000 a year. It is one of seven elected state constitutional offices, such as governor, secretary of state and attorney general. All have four-year terms. John Thurston, the current land commissioner, is term-limited and plans to seek a different constitutional office in 2018 -- that of secretary of state.
Hubanks attended Tyler Junior College and the University of Central Arkansas to pursue a degree in economics, but did not graduate.
He is married and has three children.
Tommy Land, a Republican from Heber Springs, announced his candidacy for the office earlier this month. Land said Thurston has done a good job and that he didn't have any immediate plans to change the office.
Others considering a run for the office include Rep. Laurie Rushing, R-Hot Springs, and Mark Robertson, a Little Rock Democrat who lost to Thurston in 2014.
NW News on 12/01/2016