Tax menu open, Arkansas task force leaders say

Gov. Asa Hutchinson's proposal to cut the state's top individual income tax rate from 6.9 percent to 6 percent won't necessarily be the centerpiece of the Legislature's tax-overhaul task force recommendations later this year, Sen. Jim Hendren, a co-chairman, said Tuesday.

"The centerpiece is going to be the legislative effort to find what a year of work tells us is the absolute best policy for reforming our tax code and reducing the amount of the tax burden," the Republican from Sulphur Springs told reporters.

"One of the fundamental questions that we are trying to determine is, is it better for Arkansas to reduce that top rate in income tax or to do some property tax relief, or do some sales tax relief, or reduce some excise taxes?" said Hendren, nephew of the governor.