Seth Blomeley
Stories by Seth
Officials waving off state cars
posted: 02/27/2011 5:03 a.m. Comments 7
State Treasurer Martha Shoffner, who once defended her right to drive a tax-free state-funded vehicle for personal use, no longer drives a state car. “She’s waiting on the court rulings,” said Shoffner’s chief deputy, Karla Shepard. Two lawsuits are pending in Pulaski County Circuit Court regarding the use of state vehicles by elected officials and state employees.
Senate panel rejects bill on eatery-tax vote
posted: 02/25/2011 4:34 a.m. Discuss
A bid to require elections for municipal voters to approve hotel and restaurant taxes failed in a Senate committee Wednesday.
Elliott faults agency, data on minority-group pacts
posted: 02/24/2011 6:42 a.m. Comments 2
A state senator told the Joint Budget Committee on Wednesday that she’s bothered that the Department of Finance and Administration hasn’t kept tabs on contracts awarded to members of minority groups.
State burden in pay quirk: $23.5 million
posted: 02/24/2011 6:39 a.m. Comment 1
The Legislature must come up with $23.5 million to pay state employees’ a 27th pay period next year — up from the usual 26 — the state Department of Finance and Administration revealed in a request to legislators Wednesday.
3 tax cuts clear state’s Senate
posted: 02/23/2011 4:55 a.m. Comments 2
The Arkansas Senate on Tuesday approved three tax cut bills that would reduce state revenue by about $34 million a year.
3 tax cuts clear Senate committee
posted: 02/22/2011 6:09 a.m. Comments 5
Gov. Mike Beebe’s proposal to further cut the sales tax on groceries took its first step in the Legislature on Monday when it cleared the Senate Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Beebe’s use of emergency fund called ‘measured’
posted: 02/20/2011 4:06 a.m. Discuss
When nearly 10,000 “Rainbow Family” members flocked to Arkansas in 2007, it was natural that some of them would get sick or hurt hanging out in the Ozark National Forest.
Legislators looking at tax increases for highways
posted: 02/18/2011 4:58 a.m. Comment 1
House Speaker Robert S. Moore Jr. announced Thursday that a highway improvement plan calls for tax increases in two separate packages.
House backs tax cuts, goes against Beebe
posted: 02/17/2011 5:25 a.m. Comments 5
The Arkansas House of Representatives passed three tax-cut bills Wednesday, and the Senate approved ethics legislation for legislators.
Tax-cut bills clear panel
posted: 02/16/2011 4:33 a.m. Comment 1
A state legislative committee recommended three tax-cut bills Tuesday that the state estimates would lower its revenue $50 million a year, with supporters saying the legislation will create jobs in Arkansas.
Benefit bill taps teachers
posted: 02/15/2011 5:46 a.m. Comments 3
A state legislative committee approved a move Monday to require teachers and other public-education employees to pay the actual cost of state retirement benefits they can currently purchase at less than the real cost.
State failing black history, lawmaker says
posted: 02/15/2011 5:45 a.m. Comments 55
A state legislator on Monday accused state historic preservation officials of failing to be strong advocates on behalf of black causes and questioned why the state needs to replace a bridge to “let more white people out of Little Rock to Cabot.”
Custody measure clears panel
posted: 02/10/2011 3:55 a.m. Comment 1
A bill aimed at giving noncustodial parents more information about their children’s activities cleared a House committee Wednesday.
House panel supports bill tweaking lottery law
posted: 02/10/2011 3:55 a.m. Discuss
A bill making numerous changes to the state’s lottery law was recommended Wednesday by a House committee, leaving in place the $5,000 and $2,500 scholarship amounts.
House panel approves tax-deadline extension
posted: 02/09/2011 2:56 a.m. Discuss
A bill to extend by a few days the deadline for paying property taxes became on Tuesday the first bill this session that has cleared the House Revenue and Taxation Committee.
Session tempo viewed as fine
posted: 02/06/2011 3:36 a.m. Discuss
Not much has happened through four weeks of the 88th General Assembly and that doesn’t bother Gov. Mike Beebe.
Tax panel puts off bill to give exemption to nonprofit group
posted: 02/04/2011 4:16 a.m. Discuss
A bill to grant a Fort Smith group a sales- and use-tax exemption stalled Thursday after legislators questioned whether it would open the door to more such proposals.
Budget ax looms for state workers’ raises
posted: 02/03/2011 4:54 a.m. Discuss
Legislative leaders, cautious about the state of the economy, are zeroing in on raises for state employees as a possible area to cut from Gov. Mike Beebe’s proposed $4.59 billion general-revenue budget for fiscal 2012.
Measure affixing new fee to wireless bills advances
posted: 02/03/2011 3:56 a.m. Comment 1
A House committee signed off on a bill Wednesday that would require wireless-telephone customers to help pay for equipment to assist the hearing-impaired.
Panel: Dating no exemption for laws on gifts
posted: 02/02/2011 4:36 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas laws requiring public officials to report gifts they’ve received contain no exemption for gifts from boyfriends or girlfriends, the head of the state Ethics Commission said Tuesday.
Bill on school start dates advances
posted: 02/02/2011 4:27 a.m. Discuss
The House Education Committee recommended a bill Tuesday to give school districts flexibility on the dates classes start.
Judge’s forms show $99,539 from suitor
posted: 02/01/2011 5:20 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas Supreme Court Associate Justice Courtney Henry reported nearly $100,000 worth of gifts from a Texarkana lawyer in 2010 on her statement of financial interest.
Pace at Capitol slower than ’09
posted: 01/31/2011 5:53 a.m. Comment 1
The 88th General Assembly starts its fourth week today, and folks at the state Capitol describe its pace as leisurely compared with previous sessions.
Two aim to trim legislative task forces
posted: 01/30/2011 2:43 a.m. Discuss
The leaders of the state House of Representatives and the Senate have each filed resolutions aimed at cutting down the number of task forces set up by the Legislature.
Panel delays vote on illegal-alien tuition
posted: 01/28/2011 4:30 a.m. Discuss
A state legislative bill similar to a federal law that restricts illegal aliens from receiving in-state tuition rates was tabled Thursday after lawmakers complained that the state Department of Higher Education didn’t provide them with up-to-date data.
Beebe hopes his mark is ‘swagger’ for state
posted: 01/27/2011 5:05 a.m. Comment 1
Gov. Mike Beebe said Wednesday that he hopes that when he leaves offices people remember him as helping give “swagger” to Arkansas.
Improved car count near, lawmakers told
posted: 01/27/2011 4:50 a.m. Discuss
The state’s top fiscal officer told lawmakers Wednesday that his agency should have a more up-to-date online inventory of state vehicles completed in coming months.
2009 mold act in cross hairs
posted: 01/26/2011 5:18 a.m. Discuss
An Arkansas legislator wants to repeal a state moldinspection program that’s less than 2 years old.
Beebe meets new lieutenant governor for 1st time
posted: 01/26/2011 5:11 a.m. Comments 2
Lt. Gov. Mark Darr had a meeting with Gov. Mike Beebe for the first time on Tuesday.
Treatment of UAPB sets off caucus sparks
posted: 01/25/2011 5:28 a.m. Comments 5
State Rep. John Walker, a longtime civil-rights lawyer, told fellow black legislators Monday that they needed to be strong advocates for helping the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff and that they shouldn’t settle for “crumbs.”
Atop donor list: Stephens scion
posted: 01/23/2011 4:26 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas’ top political donors include trial lawyers, heirs of family fortunes, an oil distributor and a chicken company owner who died this month.
Economy too sour for major bill on Alzheimer’s, lawmaker says
posted: 01/22/2011 5:45 a.m. Discuss
Advocates of fighting Alzheimer’s disease recommended Thursday that the state further study the effects of the disease and come up with ways to assist families with the cost of caring for its victims.
House panel deletes raises for judges, prosecutors
posted: 01/20/2011 4:03 a.m. Discuss
The Legislature’s budget committee on Wednesday rejected cost-of-living raises for prosecutors and judges, reflecting the mood among some legislators to cut spending or at least avoid spending increases.
Beebe names 2 to fill highway panel slots
posted: 01/15/2011 5:56 a.m. Comment 1
Gov. Mike Beebe tapped two men with engineering backgrounds Friday to fill vacancies on the Arkansas Highway Commission, a constitutionally independent agency and among the most coveted of gubernatorial appointments. Beebe selected Tom Schueck of Little Rock to replace Carl Rosenbaum, also of Little Rock, whose 10-year term had expired.
Democrat says he’ll quit helm of party
posted: 01/15/2011 5:17 a.m. Discuss
The chairman of the state Democratic Party said Friday that he’s stepping down next month, and Gov. Mike Beebe later recommended a replacement.
House-panel chief trims phoning ban
posted: 01/14/2011 4:33 a.m. Comment 1
State Rep. Clark Hall said Thursday that he’s reversing his position and will allow use of cell phones by the public in the State Agencies and Governmental Affairs Committee of the House.
Bill leaves out lawmaker raises
posted: 01/13/2011 5:57 a.m. Comments 7
State constitutional officers and legislators won’t be getting any raises next year under an appropriation bill that cleared a top committee Wednesday.
House-panel order quiets cell phones
posted: 01/13/2011 5:44 a.m. Discuss
One House committee chairman banned cell-phone use of any kind by anybody Wednesday in meetings of his committee.
Beebe starts 2nd term, sets session goals
posted: 01/12/2011 5:25 a.m. Discuss
Gov. Mike Beebe took the oath of office Tuesday for his second four-year term and called for the Legislature to cut the grocery tax, change funding for colleges to promote graduation, restructure Medicaid and rework sentencing laws to slow the growth of the state’s prison population.
Bill raises the stakes for agents dealing with college athletes
posted: 01/09/2011 4:31 a.m. Comment 1
A bill was filed Thursday to increase penalties on agents and others if they become involved in unscrupulous dealings with college athletes.
Insiders: New Legislature unpredictable
posted: 01/09/2011 3:46 a.m.
Discuss
The 88th General Assembly convenes Monday at noon to tackle about 2,000 bills involving a $24 billion state budget, prison overcrowding, possible tax cuts and tax increases, highway improvements, and repaying the federal government $330 million for unemployment benefits provided to Arkansans during the recession, and other issues.
Funding roads key for leader of House
posted: 01/06/2011 4:40 a.m.
Comments 3
Rep. Robert Moore, the incoming leader of the Arkansas House of Representatives, said he wants the Legislature to come up with more revenue for highways.
Arkansas revenue up in December
posted: 01/05/2011 3:36 a.m. Discuss
Arkansas’ revenue was up in December but short of expectations, state officials said Tuesday.
In House, Moore is called steady hand
posted: 01/02/2011 4:02 a.m. Discuss
Robert Moore flew Army planes in Vietnam, dresses like a cowboy, created his own backyard honky-tonk, and once swam across the Mississippi River just to say he had done it.
Bookout set to fill big shoes in Senate
posted: 01/02/2011 3:58 a.m. Discuss
Paul Bookout was born more than 200 miles away in El Dorado, but he has no recollection of growing up anywhere but Jonesboro. He also doesn’t know anything about his parents, at least the ones that gave him life.
House leaders ax commutes in state autos
posted: 12/29/2010 5:11 a.m. Comment 1
Top officials at the Arkansas House of Representatives no longer commute in state vehicles, House Chief of Staff Bill Stovall said Tuesday.
3 agencies’ cars spur dispute
posted: 12/26/2010 4:50 a.m. Comments 2
More than 100 state employees have surrendered the state vehicles they formerly used, but Gov. Mike Beebe isn’t satisfied, particularly with three state agencies, including the Arkansas Highway and Transportation Department.
As task-force costs soar, limits shelved
posted: 12/18/2010 6:32 a.m. Comment 1
Payments to legislators for attending task-force meetings have ballooned, reaching a new high of $78,000 this year, nearly double the previous record.
ATV-crash case ruling upheld
posted: 12/17/2010 3:56 a.m. Discuss
The state Supreme Court, finding an “ultra-hazardous ” situation, upheld a verdict in favor of a man whose trachea was damaged after striking a cable while riding an all-terrainvehicle on land that was once a theme park.
UAMS settlement passes subcommittee
posted: 12/14/2010 5:52 a.m. Discuss
A legislative subcommittee signed off Monday on a negotiated settlement between the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences and a deceased former patient’s estate that would pay the estate $150,000.
