100 years ago
Aug. 20, 1919
• The Fayetteville Gas and Electric Company yesterday filed with the Arkansas Corporation Commission an application for an increase in rates, to become effective September 15. The proposed new schedule of rates accompanied the application. In the same mail came a protest from residents of Fayetteville, asking the commission to refuse the increase. Pending hearing of the case, which was set for Sepatember 17, the commission ordered a suspension of the proposed rates.
50 years ago
Aug. 20, 1969
• The Pulaski County Equalization Board has raised from $112,000 to $144,500 the assessment that County Assessor L.E. Tedford Jr. has placed on a block of Main Street property owned by the Little Rock Housing Authority. Tedford said Tuesday that the Board did this because it believed the assessment, which he made about two weeks ago, was inadequate.The Housing Authority has asked the government to clarify its status in the matter because in the past it has not paid taxes on lands condemned and cleared for redevelopment. Such lands became tax-exempt when they were condemned under the general law that all government owned land are tax-exempt, regardless of subdivision or agency that owns them.
25 years ago
Aug. 20, 1994
SPRINGDALE -- Richard Davies, director of the Arkansas Department of Parks and Tourism, spoke Friday to more than 600 Springdale teachers about the proposed [one-eighth percent] state sales tax. His message: "If you love our state parks, you need to look into this issue." As a state employee, Davies is prohibited by law from asking voters to support or donate to the sales tax campaign. ... Because state employees are limited in what they can say or do in reference to the tax proposal ... supporters formed the Natural State Committee in Little Rock to head the campaign. But campaign donations have been sparse, forcing organizers to rely on a grass-roots campaign of face-to-face meetings with voters. "Our biggest hurdle is when people hear 'tax,' they have a negative reaction," Davies said before addressing the teachers. "The good news is that when we have a chance to talk to them, we get a positive response."
10 years ago
Aug. 20, 2009
• Elected officials who want to collect retirement benefits must certify they've first vacated their offices under a policy approved Wednesday by the Arkansas Public Employees Retirement System's board. After tweaks proposed by Attorney General Dustin McDaniel's office, the board without dissent adopted the new rule to go into effect immediately. System attorney Jay Wills told the board that he and other staff members will investigate whether about a half dozen elected county officials in three counties properly retired. He said the system likely could void retirements but it's unclear whether it could force repayment of benefits already paid.
Metro on 08/20/2019