Arkansas Blog

He was known in only a small circle -- except perhaps by those who read his once-frequent letters to the editor -- but a friend of progressive policy has died. Howard Goggans was a particularly good friend and counsel on arcane tax and accounting matters for writers at the Arkansas Times. A retired forest products company accountant who lived in Sherwood, he understood how the giants in the timber industry had manipulated Arkansas tax policy to their advantage and he spoke with credibility and assurance in the often losing cause of the doughty progressive groups that work against the entrenched lobbies in behalf of average Arkies. His interests seemed limitless, as did his knowledge. He could spot a fraud in an instant and he was on the lookout for them constantly. His vigorous voice eventually taxed the patience of the editors at the Democrat-Gazette, whom he heaped with criticism. But we published his work gladly, welcomed his polite calls and will miss our friend and ally.