Not much to leave you with for the open line, except these items hot off the rumor mill:

* UAMS faces a budget pinch. Departments are being asked for give-ups to erase a $5 million shortfall for fiscal year 2012. The pain extends, apparently, to Arkansas Children’s Hospital, which is expected to be sending $2 million less to UAMS for physician contracts. The College of Medicine is looking for ways to save $4 million, between UAMS trims and the expected Children’s reduction.

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* I keep hearing talk of a “third-way” tax cutting plan to emerge next week. The governor’s office says it isn’t a part of it. One scenario: Double the grocery tax cut to a full penny. That would be a face-saving way for avoidance of some of the burgeoning tax cut proposals that don’t enjoy bicameral support. Not to worry: Whatever else happens the manufacturers will get their utility tax cut. If nothing else passes, THAT passes. Probably including even the pure profit giveaway of a cut on the tax on gas burned by merchant power plants. Priorities, people, priorities.

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