Sixteen Democratic governors, not including Gov. Mike Beebe of Arkansas, have written congressional leaders urging the full renewal of extended unemployment benefits Jan. 1, along with payroll tax cuts.

House Republicans — who claim they really care about workers — don’t care much about unemployed ones. They want to limit unemployment benefits.

Advertisement

UPDATE: Beebe’s spokesman, Matt DeCample, said that when Beebe was asked about signing the letter that the method of paying for the benefits was uncertain — perhaps a surtax on the wealthy or perhaps cuts in spending that could “impact Arkansas negatively.”

“Without a clear picture of which way it was going to go, he didn’t want to sign a letter on a proposal that could potentially hurt vulnerable Arkansans,” DeCample said. He said Beebe would have supported paying for the benefits with an increased tax on the wealthy.

Advertisement

Be a part of something bigger

As a reader of the Arkansas Times, you know we’re dedicated to bringing you tough, determined, and feisty journalism that holds the powerful accountable. For 50 years, we've been fighting the good fight in Little Rock and beyond – with your support, we can do even more. By becoming a subscriber or donating as little as $1 to our efforts, you'll not only have access to all of our articles, but you'll also be helping us hire more writers to expand our coverage and continue to bring important stories to light. With over 63,000 Facebook followers, 58,000 Twitter followers, 35,000 Arkansas blog followers, and 70,000 daily email blasts, it's clear that our readers value our great journalism. Join us in the fight for truth.

Previous article Friday To-Do: Huge-ass local show Next article Supreme Court overturns Frank Williams’ death sentence